Caligula Van Zandt, District 2, 18

"Who wants a to-ur?" asked Claudia, her voice light and singsong-y. Behind her, Godric rolled his eyes.

"I, for one, would love a tour," I said, flashing her a smile.

We stood at the back of the train, which had just begun to roll away from Two. In front of us laid the rest of the cars, which we hadn't yet entered. I was curious to see what was inside; it wasn't an aspect former Victors ever really talked about. The Capitol, sure, and the Training Center, but not the train.

"Your wish is my command," she said dramatically. "Follow me!"

She skipped away, and we followed her into the train. Claudia kept talking, but I got distracted by Sadie.

"God, I can't believe she's my Mentor," Sadie mumbled behind me. "Look at her eyes. She has crazy eyes."

"Oh, she's not so bad," I replied.

"You're just saying that because she's flirting with you, dingus," she said.

"Maybe she can't help it," I said, winking at Sadie. "I have that effect on the ladies."

"You're gross," she said, scoffing. She elbowed me lightly.

"What was that for?"

"Felt like it."

"Oh, two can play at that game," I said, shoving her gently.

"As if you're going to get away with that," she said, shoving back harder.

"Dude!"

"Hey," said Godric, noticing our tussle. "No fighting until the Games."

"All in good fun," I replied, flashing my most charming smile.

Before Godric could continue reprimanding us, Claudia interjected. "Are you paying attention?" she sang back from the front of the line.

"Yes," we chorused.

"As I was saying," she said, "this car is pretty boring. Mostly storage and equipment and stuff, which no one really cares about. But up here, we get to the juicy stuff!"

Sadie resumed our conversation. "Are you going to spend the whole time flirting? Because that's going to get old real fast."

I shrugged. "I don't see the issue with it. Pretty entertaining to me."

"So that's a yes? This is gonna be a long Games…"

Before I could respond, we arrived in a new train car. "And this," said Claudia, spreading her arms wide, "is the entertainment room!"

On the far wall was a full-screen TV, surrounded by photos of different Capitol locations and monuments. Upon closer examination, there were even maps of old arenas, complete with red Xs scattered throughout the landscapes. As I studied them, I noticed the names and numbers underneath each X. Oh, shit- the Xs must have been where tributes had died. Yikes. There was also a sleek leather couch and tall, cushy gray armchairs.

"Is that a bar?" Sadie asked.

"Yes," said Claudia. "Don't worry, we won't be monitoring it too closely."

I turned to my left to see a small bar, lined with plush gray stools to match the armchairs.

"Awesome," I said. "You and I can finally let loose a little, Sadie!"

"Absolutely not," said Godric, crossing his arms. "We aren't here to have fun."

"You're no fun," Claudia whined.

"Did you not hear what I just said?" Godric asked.

"It's okay," said Sadie. "Wasn't planning on drinking anyway."

"Fine," said Claudia. "Let's see the dining car, yeah?"

The next car had a large, circular wooden table, and was lined with comfy-looking chairs. The table was set with five place settings and had a bowl of fresh fruit in the center. Avoxes milled around, stiffening as we entered the room.

"You can request anything you'd like," said Godric, "and they'll go get it for you."

"Anything?" asked Claudia.

"Do you not know?" asked Sadie. "Haven't you been doing this for, like, years?"

Claudia shrugged, smiling widely. Honestly, looking at her head-on, Sadie might have been right about the crazy eyes. Sadie turned and gave me an are you serious? look.

"Yes, anything," Godric interjected. "You can also order food to your rooms."

"Can we see our rooms?" Sadie asked.

"Of course!" said Claudia, launching into her singsong voice again. She led the way deeper into the train. Godric lingered back with us.

"I apologize for her," he said, lowering his voice. "She can be a little… off, sometimes."

"She's insane," Sadie stated.

"My theory is that's how she copes," said Godric. "I'm sure you've seen her Games?"

We both nodded, having watched them for analysis during our training. Claudia's time in the arena stood out as being particularly brutal, and Claudia herself was near the top of the kill count in terms of Mentors. I'd barely been able to make it through the full film.

"Are you coming?" Claudia called back, stopping in her tracks. "Come on!"

We followed her, eventually arriving at our rooms.

"We'll watch the Reapings together later, once they're all finished up," said Godric. "As for now, you can shower, take a nap, hang out, whatever you want. The only real rule is not to fight or maim one another."

"Sounds good," I said. Sadie nodded.

Isla Evenair, District 4, 18

"Can I ask you something?" asked Finnick.

We had just finished the tour of the train and now sat in the dining car. My partner, Muir, who had yet to actually say anything other than his name, was munching on some crackers and cheese.

"Sure," I said. As far as I was concerned, Finnick was the most famous Victor in all of Panem. You didn't win two Games- one of them being a Quarter Quell- by mistake; Finnick was a serious contender. He was attractive and likeable, and everyone loved him. He would be a good ally to have down the line, especially for after I won the Games. Good politicians need strong supporters.

Finnick leaned forward in his seat. "Why did you Volunteer?" He looked at me, then at Muir. Annie watched us too, saying nothing as she sipped from a mug of tea.

"Why?" I asked.

"It interests me, honestly," he said. "Annie and I were Reaped, but kids these days are different than we were back then."

His voice, while not loud, was commanding. No, not commanding- enthralling. Suddenly, I felt the urge to tell him all my secrets. He watched us intently, waiting for our answers, and I noticed his eyes. They were the color of the sea on a summer day, warm and inviting.

How is he doing this? I wondered. Better yet, could he teach me?

I took a deep breath, breaking our eye contact by glancing at Annie. "It's something I've always wanted to do," I said, keeping my tone casual.

"But why?" Finnick asked.

I looked back to Finnick. "The truth?" I asked.

He nodded.

I thought for a moment. Perhaps it was best that I didn't give him all the details yet. Who knew, he might react like Kennedy had. Best to draw him in slowly.

"Power," I told him. "I want to be someone."

Finnick took that in for a moment, processing my words, before he turned to Muir. "What about you?" he asked.

Muir swallowed another mouthful of his snack. "I was picked to Volunteer," he said simply.

"But why did you train?" asked Finnick.

"My mom wanted me to," he said.

Annie nodded. "I know her."

"Yeah," he said. "She saw you win, and she wanted me to do the same."

"That's all?" Finnick asked. "Just your mom?"

Muir shrugged. "I mean, I'm pretty good at it. They picked me over the older guys, even."

Finnick sat back in his chair. "Interesting."

"What was that all about?" I asked. "What was the point?"

"I like to think it helps me get to know you better," said Finnick. "And on a deeper level."

"But does it actually help?" I pressed. Perhaps it was a method I could use for myself.

"Could I get a tea as well, please? Same as Annie," Finnick said, turning to one of the Avoxes. The Avox nodded, and returned almost immediately with the requested drink. Finnick took it carefully, blowing on it to cool it down, and reached for the sugar cubes in the center of the table. He dropped in four cubes before he answered the question.

"It helps me make decisions," he said, stirring his drink. "How can I help you if I don't understand you?"

I noted how his pauses kept the attention on him. He was always in control of the conversation. There was a lot I could learn from him.

"Makes sense to me," said Muir, who resumed his snacking.

"So are you each one of our Mentors, or is it both?" I asked.

"I am your Mentor," said Annie, "and Finnick will work with Muir."

"But if something happens to you, or one of us needs advice," added Finnick, "we'll work together. We're a pretty good team, if I do say so myself."

Annie gave him a rare smile. Finnick patted her shoulder gently. "We've been friends for a very long time," he said. "Still, though, you two are lucky. Most districts only have one Mentor these days, so you get more personalized attention than most other districts do."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"The Quarter Quell," said Finnick, his tone shifting. "Lost a lot of people at once." His eyes wandered away from us, seemingly somewhere else. Maybe two Games had taken more of a toll than I'd estimated.

Annie changed the subject. "If you'd like to explore your rooms before we watch the Games, you're welcome to," she said. "Or if you want to have a snack and chat, that's fine."

"I want to see the rooms," said Muir, standing and dusting crumbs off his shirt. "I've heard they're insane."

I stood as well. "I've also heard they're quite nice," I said.

"Very well," said Annie, "they're just down that way. You remember the way?"

"Yes," I said. Muir nodded. I took the lead, and together, we left the dining car.

Deltro Litmen, District 6, 15

This room. Was. Insane.

The private suite was as big as my apartment back home, and it was only for one person. Honestly, it took a while to take it all in. The bedroom was the biggest part, with a king-sized bed- I'd never seen one so large before- and enough room for a table and chairs and what I thought was a futon. There were windows on the outside walls, revealing the countryside of Panem whizzing past.

The next room that I explored was the bathroom, which was the size of my kitchen at home. The bathtub could fit multiple people, and the shower settings were like a whole 'nother language. There were so many buttons, and there were so many different symbols on them. Showering tonight would be like solving a puzzle. The sink was wide enough that I could probably sit in it comfortably, and the toilet… like the shower, it was very high-tech. I hoped I could figure out how to flush it later.

The last room in the suite was a walk-in closet, which had racks and racks of clothes. I filtered through them, wondering if they'd ever been worn. Probably not; they were still pristine. No tags, though.

I was examining the wardrobe when a knock on the door made me jump.

"Can I come in?" called the visitor.

I walked over to the door briskly, yanking it open. "What?"

"I just wanted to say hi," said my district partner, who stuck her hand out for a shake. "We never formally met. I'm Salome!"

"Hi," I said, cautiously shaking her hand. "Deltro."

"Cool name," said Salome, who brushed past me, entering my room.

"Wait-"

She sat on the bed, bouncing around. "My bed's springier, but yours is much softer," she said.

"I-"

She bounced back up, walking over to my closet. "Your closet is crazy, too! Look, if you press the buttons, it'll bring you what you want," she said, demonstrating. She stood inside the closet, typing in commands into a keypad I hadn't noticed. As soon as she finished, the clothes in the closet rotated around, bringing forward a blue sweater.

"This one would look nice on you, I think," she said, taking it down from its hanger. She held it up to my chest, cocking her head to the side and squinting.

"I didn't really want any visitors right now, you know," I told her, taking the sweater.

She just looked at me, half-frowning. It was the first time I'd been able to get a good look at her, and now that I did, I noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks. They were barely dried, patches still shining under the ceiling lights. Her eyes were still a little red as well. She was shorter than me, with light skin and brown hair. Definitely on the younger side. Elaine's polar opposite, now that I thought about it.

"I'm sorry," I said, hesitating. "It's just a lot to take in."

"I know," she said, crossing over to the bed and sitting down again. "I thought it might help to take it all in together."

"Oh," I said, heat rising to my cheeks. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she said. "I can leave. I get it."

She looked at me, waiting for my response.

"I just…" I trailed, unsure of what to say. I thought for a moment. This girl seemed so high energy, and, honestly, intrusive. I didn't really want her around, and I knew it.

"Sorry," I said. "But I'm better off alone."

"I get it," she repeated, standing and dusting herself off. She brushed past me and left, shutting the door quietly behind her.

She was hurt, and I understood. But as far as I was concerned, we were strangers, and it was better for both of us if we stayed that way.

Levi Viscose, District 8, 18

Senna entered the room with the Escort in tow, and I quickly threw my arms around her.

"Hi," Senna said softly, embracing me. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes," I said, pulling back. "I was going to come by with Checkers soon, but I wasn't planning on all this."

She smiled sadly. "I understand," she said. "I'm glad to see you… I regret that it's under these circumstances, though."

"Me too."

"Do you two know each other?" asked my district partner. I'd nearly forgotten he was there. I let go of Senna and stood next to her.

"Yes," I replied.

"I knew Levi's mother very well," said Senna. "She was my Mentor, actually."

The boy crossed his arms. "Great. Looks like I'm on my own, then."

"What?" asked Senna.

"I can see what's going on here," he said, gesturing. "She's already your favorite."

"Just because I know Levi already doesn't mean I'm not your Mentor as well," said Senna. "My goal is to prepare you both as much as possible for the arena."

Senna continued her speech, reasoning with the boy, but I let my attention wander. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his hair. It was shockingly bright, and I couldn't remember seeing that shade of reddish-orange ever in my life, let alone on someone's head. I bet it would look beautiful in a sweater. The color, not his hair.

Speaking of clothes, my eyes then wandered to his jumpsuit. It was a dull orange- more of a persimmon, really- and had JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY stitched in black on the left breast. How had he ended up there? I was dying to know. That was when I noticed the bruised eye. Maybe that had something to do with it. Or maybe he'd gotten it there.

"I guess," said the boy. Senna smiled; it seemed she was getting through to him.

"See? I'm here for both of you," she said.

"What happened to your eye?" I blurted out.

Everyone's eyes swung over to me. Shoot.

"If you wanted to share," I added.

He eyed me, hesitating for a moment before answering my question. "Got it in a fight," he said.

"A fight?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Yeah, a fight. I can hold my own, if that's what you're asking."

"Wow," I said, envious. That skill would definitely be useful for him soon. I doubted that there would be a need for fashion designers anytime in the near future.

He crossed his arms again. "I'm Ianto."

"My name is Levi," I replied. "Nice to meet you. How did you get in juvie?"

"You ask a lot of questions," he noted. "If you have to know, I'm kind of in a band."

"A band?" I asked, my jaw dropping. "Woah. That's so cool!"

"Yeah, we're pretty tight," he said, smiling briefly. It quickly disappeared, and he suddenly looked as though he had tasted something bad. "Anyway. Peacekeepers didn't care for our set list, so we got the boot."

"That's awesome," I said.

"Interesting," said Senna. "I didn't know there was a lot of music in Eight."

Ianto shrugged again. "There isn't," he said. "Most of it is underground."

"I see," said Senna, raising a brow.

"What do you play?" I wanted to know.

"Drums," said Ianto.

"Cool," I said.

Ianto nodded, smiling again. "It's a good time," he said. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What's your thing? What's your deal? If I have to spill everything, so do you," said Ianto.

"Ummm…" I said, thinking. "It's kind of a lot, but here goes. My mother won her Games a while back, then struggled with fertility issues, then had me. She started to get really paranoid about me getting Reaped once I was of age, and developed bipolar disorder, and even paid a girl to Volunteer for me if I got picked. But she was picked a few years ago, so that didn't work out. Then my mom died. I found her in the bathroom. I was depressed for a while after that. Then my friend Dimitry, who honestly has daddy issues, started fucking my dad-"

"I think that's enough sharing for today," Senna interrupted. "How does a tour of the train sound?"

"Good," said Ianto, who had taken a step back during my rant. "Great, actually."

Shit. My first shot at a friend, even a possible ally, and I'd gone on a tangent. Reel it in, Levi.

I wondered how Check was doing right now. Better than me, I hoped.

Jessie "Jess" Tucson, District 10, 18

The four of us sat at the table in the dining car silently. The blue-haired Escort, who'd introduced himself as Percival, had already given us a quick tour of the train, which was frankly enormous. He and I got on fairly well. My partner and Mentor, however, had yet to say much of anything. Percival looked expectantly at our Mentor, who seemed not to notice him. Oh, well. If no one else was going to take charge, I might as well, right?

"So," I said, attempting to break the silence, "what's the Capitol like?"

Percival glanced at our Mentor, who was staring moodily at the table. He turned back to me. "Oh, it's wonderful," he said enthusiastically. "I already miss it! It's the most beautiful place in the world, I think. And there's always something exciting happening, which right now is the Games. No offense, but the districts are a lot less interesting."

"Less interesting how?" I asked.

"In appearances, mostly," he said. "I didn't see one single fun hair color in the entire population. I mean, would it hurt to try some dye here and there?"

"I guess not," I said politely.

"You, for example," he continued, "could really pull off a royal purple. It would look so nice with your skin tone."

"Thank you," I replied. I doubted I'd ever truly consider it, but it was fun to think about… I guess.

"And you," he said, looking at the boy sitting next to me, "could go platinum. Some people would disagree- they think the trend is over- but I think the trend is just beginning!"

The boy shrugged.

"Is that your job?" I asked. "A hairdresser?"

"Oh, yes," said Percival. "I'm not good enough to be on a stylist team, of course, but it's something I love doing. I think I'm more suited to this job anyway."

"Oh, I'm sure you're very talented," I said, smiling sweetly at Percival.

"Why thank you!" he said, beaming. He turned to the Mentor, sizing him up. "And for Dimitri-"

"For the last time, I'm not dying my hair red," the Mentor snapped, finally looking up at us. "Would you drop it already?"

"I'll drop it when you dye it," said Percival cheerily, ignoring Dimitri's temper.

"Great," Dimitri muttered. He sighed. "I'd rather talk about anything other than hairstyles, so let's talk Games. My name is Dimitri Volkov, and I'm your Mentor. Congratulations."

"I'm Jess," I said.

"Ethan," said the boy quietly.

"Percival," said Percival with a broad smile.

"Sounds good," said Dimitri, ignoring Percival. "I'll begin by asking a few questions. First of all: Ethan, what the fuck were you thinking?"

Although his language was a little crude, I couldn't help but agree with him. Volunteering was unheard of in Ten, and the shock of it had almost distracted me from my predicament. Almost.

"I…" Ethan trailed, searching for the words.

"Please, go on. I'd love to hear it," said Dimitri, crossing his arms.

"There's nothing for me in Ten," said Ethan, after a moment of thinking. "Absolutely nothing. My parents barely knew I existed anymore. I wanted to be in charge of my own life, and ruin theirs on the way out."

Dimitri sighed. "I see. You wanted your parent's attention."

"It's about more than just that," said Ethan.

"Well, I hate to break it to you," said Dimitri, leaning forward in his seat, "but this ain't no walk in the pasture, cowboy. What I saw back there was the dumbest thing I've ever seen, and you're probably going to die as a result."

My jaw dropped, and I covered my mouth with my hands. This guy didn't sugarcoat things.

"Dimitri," Percival said, scolding him. "He's just a boy."

"He needs to know the consequences of his actions," said Dimitri.

"I know what will happen to me," said Ethan. "I've accepted that."

"You've accepted that?" said Dimitri. "Oh, God. Are you even going to try? Actually, no, don't answer that."

"I'm not here to win," said Ethan. "I'm here to force them to change. I'm not an idiot. I know what will happen."

"The more you talk, the more of an idiot I'm starting to think you are," said Dimitri. He stood, shoving his chair backward, and started walking toward the door.

"Dimitri! Where are you going?" Percival called.

"Out," he replied, his voice low, and then he was gone.

"Well," said Percival, "how about that dye, hmm? I think it would really capture the Capitol's attention!"

"Maybe another time," I said. I glanced at Ethan, who seemed to be zoning out.

"I'll hold you to that!" said Percival.

I sighed. Unfortunately, I believed him.

Sienna Asher, District 12, 14

"So," purred Aurelia, "let's talk."

Aurelia, our Mentor, was sitting next to my district partner, who had introduced himself as Dale. Our Escort Effie sat next to me, smiling reassuringly.

"Talk about what?" I asked.

Aurelia ignored me. "Dale," she said, tracing her finger along his bicep, "I have to be honest with you. I didn't have very high hopes when they told me I was assigned to Twelve. I'm used to working with… a different sort of tribute. You can probably tell, but I'm not from around here."

"I picked up on that," said Dale, his voice low and husky. He smiled at her, flashing his white, straight teeth. I spotted his arm tightening- was he flexing his muscles?

She smirked. "Of course you did. But then I saw that you were chosen, Dale. And I knew District Twelve finally had a chance."

I leaned over to speak quietly to Effie. "Do they not know I'm still here?"

"I'm sure they do, dear," said Effie unconvincingly.

I sighed. "Excuse me?"

Aurelia and Dale looked at me. Aurelia was glaring, but Dale's expression was neutral.

"I know I'm on the young side," I said, "but I'm not going down without a fight. I know I don't look like much, but I have good ideas for-"

"I'm sure you do, Sierra," said Aurelia.

"It's Sienna," I corrected her.

Her frown deepened. "I'll be sure to catch up with you later, but I'm busy strategizing with Dale right now, okay? Right, Dale?"

Dale nodded, his lips pressed together tightly.

I looked at Aurelia, then Dale, then Aurelia again.

I see what's going on here.

"Fine," I said, standing. "I can leave if that's what you want."

"That would be great," said Aurelia.

"I'll show you the entertainment room," said Effie, standing alongside me. "It's like nothing you'll have seen before, I guarantee it. We'll take the door behind you."

I turned, walking towards the door. My ears pricked up as I heard Effie speak to Aurelia, her voice low: "Shame on you. Your manners are atrocious, young lady."

Aurelia said something in response, but I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to listen. Maybe hope wasn't lost- even if Aurelia and Dale would clearly be of no help to me, I had an ally on the train. Thank God. I felt my spirits lift a little.

Effie rejoined me, leading me back towards the entertainment room. She shut the door to the dining car and began to speak. "Don't mind her," said Effie.

"It's fine," I said.

"This is her second year here," said Effie, "and somehow, she has even less manners than she did last year! I apologize for her. I cannot believe she disregarded you like that."

"It's okay," I said. "It gives me the chance to prove her wrong."

Effie turned to look at me. "I like your attitude! That's a good way to look at it."

"Thanks," I said. Effie smiled at me brightly, and I did my best to smile back. I wasn't in the cheeriest of moods that afternoon. I'd found that being Reaped really put a damper on things.

"Have you met Dale before?" she asked.

"No," I said. "We've never run into each other."

"He was rather rude as well," Effie noted.

I shrugged. "He beat me to the pitch, is all."

"He what?" asked Effie, who stopped in her tracks. "What does that mean?"

"You know," I said, "when someone's selling something, they pitch it to you in hopes that you'll buy it. Aurelia clearly likes Dale more than me, so he took the opportunity to pitch himself to her, so he can be on her good side and get all the sponsor gifts."

"How do you know that's what he's doing?" asked Effie.

I shrugged again. "He keeps puffing out his chest and making his voice lower than normal. And he keeps smiling at her. My brother Flint does it all the time- that's how he pitches whenever pretty girls come in the store."

"You're a smart cookie, dear," said Effie. Then, more to herself than me: "Katniss would have liked you."

"Katniss?" I asked. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"An old friend," she replied vaguely. We resumed walking.

"I hope your pitch works on her," she said after a moment.

"I don't know," I said. "If she's not interested in listening, I might have to find someone else to pitch to."

"Well, you've certainly won me over," said Effie. "I have no doubt you'll find someone."

"I hope so," I said. "There's bound to be someone, right?"

"I'm sure of it," said Effie.

We stopped in front of a door labeled ENTERTAINMENT in sleek silver lettering.

"Here we are!" said Effie. "Watch your step, there's a ledge there."

I followed her inside. I hoped she was right about finding allies. I wasn't dumb- I knew that my odds were better with allies than without them. I just needed to find someone that was willing to listen.

Hopefully, they were waiting for me in the Capitol.

*And that's the second half of the train rides! What did you guys think? I honestly thought this chapter would take me longer, but oh well :) These have been fun to write!

Next is the Chariot Rides, which is going to be an extra long one, so it'll probably take a little longer than these have. Until then!

-r-b*