Ash Smith POV
As expected, nearly every one of us ran for the Cornucopia. The only one that didn't was the nutcase from Four. Any of us could get her whenever we wanted, so we let her go.
Everything a Career possibly could have wanted was in the Cornucopia. Obvious weapons like swords and spears mingled with exotic choices like a blowgun. It was practically all the same to me. If it killed, I could use it. But then something more important came by.
Mary Ellen streaked past me, running for an axe. I ran up behind her and bumped into her. When she turned, I smashed my hand into her cheek. As she spun, I caught her by the back of the head and bashed her head into the side of the Cornucopia. She bounced off it like a rock and went down just as heavily as one. Karma's a witch.
Mary Ellen Westley POV
Touche...
Steel Keshmin POV
We all knew what to do. A Peackeeper had to be able to make up a plan on the fly and adjust it as quickly. In this specific case, I had to make a point as much as obtain an objective. The others thought I was a weakling. I didn't want to be a frontrunner, but I couldn't be a target, either. I ran straight into the heart of the Bloodbath, but I knew exactly what I was doing.
Every day in the Peacekeeper Academy, we ran laps. I could run like no one's business, and I was the first to the supplies. I could focus all my attention ahead without worry. Cierra was stationed as my cover, and Troy was picking off anyone who threatened us.
The only thing in the Cornucopia was weaponry. I'd scanned the selection while I was still on the platform, and I knew just where to run. I saw in my peripherals that Troy had gotten a spear, so that left me and Cierra. I sprinted toward a pair of swords with attached straps and slung them over my back. I kept up my pace and ran farther in toward the Cornucopia. As I reached it, I jumped up on a table of throwing knives and vaulted up and over the back of the Cornucopia, tucking and rolling. As I landed by its tail, Troy and Cierra joined me from around either side in a pincer motion, and we ran to the building on the far side. It went off beautifully, like a well-trained platoon.
Cierra Daline POV
Watch Steel's back. Don't let anyone-
Venus reached the table right after Steel. Her eyes were on Steel's back as she picked up a knife to throw.
No! I don't do long-range weapons! What do I do? I grabbed for the nearest weapon. It was a mace, and I chucked it at Venus for all I was worth. It landed on the table by her arm with a terrific clatter. It startled her, and as she looked down to see what it was, Steel disappeared safely out of sight.
Odeda Titan POV
Yes! Yes! It's finally time!
I ran in to the melee and grabbed a sword. I twirled it once as I looked around for my first victim. I flicked it up into the air and honed in on my prey.
What goes up must come down. I must have glanced a little too long. A splitting pain drove into the top of my head and bore me to the ground.
I'd found my first victim. It was me.
Rapture Kai POV
I grabbed my sword and got ready to kill. The center of the Cornucopia was staked out by Venus and her allies. Nobody wanted to get into that, so the fights were clustered around the edges of the Bloodbath. I saw three of the girls in the party alliance calling to Lottie, who was stuck on the other side of the Cornucopia. As she ran across the fray, I intercepted her and slashed at her chest.
She swung up with her own sword, and our weapons clashed. The sheer force of her strike knocked me back, and my katana shattered as her massive, two-handed broadsword cleaved through it. My hands went numb and my arms tingled with shock.
"Sorry. Mine's bigger than yours," Lottie said. I should have stayed closer to Diamond.
Tally Sandpiper POV
I was lucky. My platform was one away from Ole's. I saw a bow and quiver of arrows perilously close to the pack's table. Without it I was weaponless, but what chance did I have of reaching it? Ole was ahead of me, looking for his own weapon.
He didn't see Venus' knife come at me. It hit me right in the heart, and I knew I was dead. Orren was still halfway across the Bloodbath. He was coming at me, but he wouldn't reach me. He would never hurt me again.
Akari Igneous POV
This was no time for fun. Some of the others were laughing as they cut down their victims. I knew how intoxicating a kill could be, but I had to keep my head. I stored my feelings for later and got to work.
One of the girls from Four was running toward the woods. She wasn't a killer. She just fell in with us. It didn't matter.
Some people try to justify themselves as Careers. They say they don't kill little kids, or they always fight fair. I don't lie to myself like that. I know what I am, and I own it. I don't add insulting rationalizations to my murder. I let my knife fly at my helpless victim.
Kaliana Reese POV
I should have been a fisher. I should have stayed on the waves. Sometimes water kills, but it never murders. It's just part of the world. It's a beautiful part.
Charmaine Vale POV
My mother was watching when Whyte's sword went through me. He looked guilty when he turned to run. He must have thought I was someone else. A larger threat, probably.
I summoned the last of my fading strength so I fell slowly, almost like I was just lying down. The best thing I could do for my mother now wasn't to win. It was to make it look easy. I felt the grass in my fingers and the sun on my face as the life slipped out of me. I thought of my mother, and I smiled.
Tritium Paine POV
I didn't even want to go into the Bloodbath. Really I just wanted to get out of there, but I'd never survive without a weapon.
It got louder the closer I got to the Cornucopia. There was the sound of drawing weapons. Allies screamed as they searched for each other. One of the dead boys from one was being cradled by his sister as she wailed.
I favored the Urumi, but for this battle, knives were better. I avoided the pack's table and looked among the other weapons littered around. A knife whistled over my head, but Venus wasn't aiming at me. Some other Tribute just lost the games.
A low hum joined the rest of the noises, and then there was an arrow in my back. I whirled around and saw Aversa huddled behind the pack with a bow. She shot another arrow into my front, then looked at the nearby pack and darted away.
I wanted the Games to be over with as soon as possible. I got my wish.
Orren Daphne POV
Tally was already dead. It was supposed to be done right, according to her sin, but judgement had been passed. My aim shifted to the girl running away with the bow. She was proud. Justice demanded she die first, to teach her humility.
Something stuck through me, and I couldn't walk anymore. Another stick went through my leg and nailed me to the ground. Someone was defying justice. They'd pay. Even if I wasn't the agent, they'd pay.
Victory Amarinthine POV
Good one, Jynx. That guy was so creepy.
I forgot my mom was taking me shopping today. At least I had mercy and wrote before my usual time in the dead of the night. I finally made a big Bloodbath this time, though there's more people fighting.
32nd place: Odeda Titan- Accidentally split her own head with a sword
Odeda died first since that's what the form requested. It also requested this death, so I can't take credit. It's always a huge help when people send Bloodbaths in, so that was cool. Thanks Only1God for being the real MVP, and also for making Odeda seem so hardcore and then killing her XD
31st place: Mary Ellen Westley- Head smashed by Ash
I had this stroke of inspiration when I realized I could kill Mary Ellen and help Ash not be so boring at the same time. Mary Ellen was overconfident and abrasive, so I killed her. It was also a satisfying turnaround. Thanks Hollyhobbit for letting me use Mary Ellen again, and rest assured she's as odious as ever.
30th place: Rapture Kai- Stabbed by Lottie
I knew people would underestimate Lottie. In this scenario, her chubby frame gives her more heft. She's built like a linebacker, and she can do a lot of damage. I decided to kill Rapture first this time because Diamond has always been just his companion. This time I wanted to see what she could do with the focus on her. Thanks Jms2 for Rapture and Diamond is still going strong.
29th place: Tally Sandpiper- Knifed by Venus
I always end up cracking and letting some Tributes through that should have died in the Bloodbath. This time I hardened my heart. Tally didn't belong here, and Ole will mourn her deeply. Thanks Everlastingimpression for a pair of involved and very different Tributes.
28th place: Kaliana Reese- Knifed by Akari
Kaliana was in the same boat as Tally. She wasn't strong enough to win and she was just vastly overpowered among these Tributes. She was a nice girl and I wish we could have gotten to know her better. She'd make a cool fanfic, just not in a Careers Games. Thanks Olivia for a quiet and introspective Tribute who saw beauty rather than violence.
27th place: Charmaine Vale- Stabbed by Whyte
Whyte's gonna regret that. He hardly had time to see who he stabbed in all the chaos. Charmaine was another of the gentler Careers. I couldn't get her back to her mother, so I did the best I could. Thanks Starrymidnight16 for a Tribute that didn't add more bombast to an already larger than life group of Tributes.
26th place: Tritium Paine- Shot by Aversa
I went lighter on the males this time because there are so many more girls. It was plain statistics. Tritium was woefully underprepared for how far the Careers had advanced in thirty years. He had skills, but they weren't up to this new standard. Thanks Jospehm611 for Tritium. He had a cool personality and backstory. He just couldn't win.
25th place: Orren Daphne- Shot by Jynx
Orren seemed really powerful in theory, but I killed him out of practicality. He was so singleminded he never even thought to watch out for other Careers that could kill him. A really powerful villain has to have means, not just a motive. He would have dominated a normal Games, but the other Careers weren't even scared of him. Thanks Everlastingimpression for providing a cool villain. I just already have more than enough.
As for Daisy... my little sister's Tributes generally get a pass through the Bloodbath to balance out the fact that they're pretty much not going to win. If she's super popular I'll consider it, but otherwise it wouldn't be fair and she's a dead girl walking.