There is only one Capitol party and it is a shit storm. I thought after training and with Shelly getting down to work, it was not going to be all laughs and smiles. It's not happy, I am sorry. Now that is out the way, this is the last "fun" chapter, after this, it's pre-pre Game stuff. There is are no interviews because I don't think they would be needed, The Capitol has seen these kids for ten years, an interview won't change much. I think we are about three chapters away from the bloodbath? I ain't sure.

Let me know what you think and did any of the things that happen to shock you? Enjoy!

Also, sorry this is so short, I should be doing work for a presentation that is due tomorrow so bye!

There was a morbid silence as The Warriors waited in the grand hall of the presidential mansion. Training had only ended hours before and some wounds were still fresh. Even Warriors who never came into contact with each other, like Pallas and Loretta, shifted away from each other, expecting the other to throw an axe into their skull. It was safe to say thing were most likely to remain like this until a victor emerged.

Belinda held her head in her hands, her brown eyes trained on the marble floor below her. It was a stressful situation everyone had found a new hatred for someone since the Game's, Marzio being the most common. There was nothing worse than training all of your life to be taken out by a spark.

To rub salt in the wound, the Warriors had been gathered, ready to announce who would go to the ball with who. Whenever the thought crossed Belinda's mind, her eyes flickered over to Grover, who would offer her a warm smile back. He made a blush, something part of her was no thankful for. She couldn't help it, he looked handsome in his tanned suit and hair slicked back. Although their relationship had not been made public, she hoped that she had been paired with him. Although attachment was negative so far into the Games, she found herself unable to picture the night without him.

She pulled her eyes away from Grover, a guilty smile on her lips and rested them on the small, spider-like cameras that got every possible angle. As she watched them, zooming into the tributes face, Ryken stepped out, a bright smile on his face. Belinda had to admit that he looked more dapper than Grover and the boy must have sensed this as his smile turned into a glare. Saying that Ryken was hot felt too strange for Belinda, however. She had heard so many people say it, it did not feel right. Plus, he was far too arrogant for her liking.

"Now, Warriors, as you know, the public have been voting for who they would like you to spend the night with, are you excited?" there was a delay between Ryken's words and The Warriors excited cheers. "Well, we will start off with the two from District One, if you have already been

paired with someone, you name will not be called again...Right, District One, Maurice Powers!"

The Warriors turned to the boy who stood nervously as he awaited his partner. "Ares Walker!" Belinda turned to smile at the friends but both shifted awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.

"Sunbeam Feyre with Clarissa Silvia!" At least this pair seemed happier with the public choice, Sunbeam clapping her hands happily as Ryken moved on.

"District Two, Nero Anghel, Evelyn Spires!" Nero's face dropped, along with Annabella. Evelyn, on the other hand, looked over the moon, even though she tried to hide it for Annabella's sake.

"District Three, Annabella Gihad with Berik Mathews." this brought on a similar reaction as Nero and Evelyn although Berik seemed far more eager, almost clambering over chairs to "comfort" her.

"Marzio Ottone with Venus Atwood!" Mazio looked over at Venus who scowled at him.

"Venus-"

"Don't," she growled, turning away from him.

"District Four Romilda Vasilios with Loretta Moriko!" Pallas looked like a wounded animal as Loretta placed her hand on his. Romilda, on the other hand, looked rather smug.

"Shelly Bereg with Pallas Narsico!" There was a collective gasp, even the two Warriors in question seemed shocked. Nonetheless, they moved next to each other.

"District Five Damon Romulus with Vulcan Omiros!" At least these two looked happy as they gully smiled at each other.

"Nathalie Sibylla with Janae Rayon!" The pairing was odd but Janae looked so young, Belinda couldn't see her with anyone romanticly.

"District Six, Veyron Maverick with Balina Abbott!" Clearly a random pair, Belinda was not sure the two had even spoken to each other, let alone in a romantic or friendly way. In fact, Belinda would have paired Veyron with Grover over Balina. The pair seemed somewhat content with the choice, though.

"District Seven, Grover Lindell with Belinda Herd!" Belinda stood upright in her chair, unable to hold back the large smile on her face as she looked over to Grover who seemed equally as pleased. It sounded cheesy and too good to be true but spending the night dancing with her prince charming was the best way it could go.

"District Eight, Coutille Harrow with Tore Dante!" Grover gave the boy a quick thumbs up, causing him to blush and Coutille to roll her eyes at the pair.

"Remember, although the public is not watching, you will be in a room with our president and angering or pleasing on him can effect your time in the arena."

Grover dragged Belinda into the garden where hundreds of guests were already dancing to an unknown but beautiful symphony. He turned to her with a childish grin, grabbing her by her waist and pulling her close. The dark-haired girl looked up at him and smiled, her hand tracing down his back and towards his-

"Grover!" a voice called, causing the boy to jump slightly and swing around, coming face to face with Laurel.

"Good Evening Miss Zeta!" Belinda chirped, failing to notice her dates worried expression.

"Belinda, why don't you all get us a drink?" Grover laughed, pushing the girl away.

"That won't be necessary, I only came to say hello."

"I will get me and Grover one," Belinda said with a friendly smile before leaving the Warrior and mentor.

"So, that's who you got paired with?" Laurel asked once Belinda was out of earshot. Grover laughed nervously.

"Yeah-"

"She is pretty-"

"Not as pretty as you," Grover said with a wink, causing a smile to spread onto Laurel's face. "Who are you here with?"

"Gerhard," Laurel sighed, gesturing over to the bearded man. Grover scowled.

"Is he still trying to get in your pants-"

"Grover, he isn't that man...he can be sweet...but yeah he said if you don't get back, he wants to marry me-"

"Did he? Mother fucker," Grover grunted, looking back over to Belinda who was stood at the bar. She turned and smiled at him, two drinks in hand.

"Well, I will leave you to it...we still meeting tomorrow night?"

"You bet ya," Grover winked before turning back to Belinda. His eyes moved down her dress, a smirk forming on her lips. Laurel was hot, but Belinda was out of this world. From her D's to her hourglass shaped body, no man could be faithful.

"You look beautiful-" Grover was interrupted by a bright flash.

"Is it true you two are dating?" A reporter asked, pulling down the camera.

Grover's mount hung open but Belinda smiled. "Yes," she said, gripping Grover's hands in her's, the camera once more flashing.

"What the fuck did you do that!" Grover growled at Belinda, the reporter scurrying away.

"I don't like this," Damon sighed, leaning against the wall.

Shelly rolled her eyes. "You wanted to win-"

"And breaking a relationship up is the way to do that?"

"Two relationships," Shelly corrected.

"Oh yeah and that makes it better-"

"Oh, stop being a baby and give me the stuff and in ten minutes, come back with Loretta." Damon gave a defeated nod and the two parted ways, right after he gave her the date-rape.

"Damon!" Vulcan cheered but he stopped when he saw Damon's grim expression.

"Whatever you do, don't trust Shelly," Damon grumbled before pushing past his boyfriend.

"Loretta!" Damon called to the blonde girl who was looking lost on the dance floor. She looked over at the boy and gave a worried smile.

"I have lost Romilda," she sighed. "I went to get a drink and got lost." Damon looked down at the floor, mentally preparing himself for what was to come.

"I don't want to ruin your night nor do I want to upset you but as your friend but I think you should know."

Loretta's breath hitched. "What's happened?"

Damon bit his lip as he leads to the destination Shelly had told him to bring. He felt bad but he understood that any alliance could be a risk to himself.

However, he did not expect to see the sight he saw. There on the bed, rather naked, was Pallas and Shelly, both of them asleep.

Damon's blue eyes flickered over to Loretta who was trying not to cry yet he body shook uncontrollably. "Lor," Damon said softly, holding his hand out to her. The girl looked up at him, a single tear rolling her cheek before she turned and fled.

Damon himself wanted to cry. It was one thing to kill people he liked but to break them days before he did so? That was cruel. He looked over to a naked Shelly who placed her bra back on.

"Did you rape him?" Damon asked, earning a disgusted look

"I ain't-a monster, Damon."

Romilda sighed as he laid back in the chair on the empty third floor. He didn't take Loretta for the type to run away from a date but the girl had been missing for half an hour, it was the only thing he could think had happened.

However, just as he was about to give up and get his own drink, Loretta burst through the door, in a flood of tears. She attempted to run past the well-built boy but he grabbed her in his arms and pulled her close. However, the force of her struggle caused him to stumble backward until he fell onto the floor.

After a few moments she calmed down, Romilda spoke. "What happened-"

"Pallas slept with Shelly," she sobbed. Romilda gave a nod, mentally getting angry at himself for the peng of happiness that spread through his body.

"Well, maybe it was a lie-"

"I saw them, naked in bed together," Loretta wailed, forcing Romilda to once again silence her. Well, that makes all the difference.

The anger Romilda felt was horrid. Loretta had put up with so much from the boy and for him to go and cheat on her, well, he wanted to break his neck right there and then. However, for Loretta's sake, he kept a cool head. "Well, I'm sure you can talk it out-"

"It's over, I don't want to see his face again unless I am shattering it with a hammer." Okay then. Romilda kissed Loretta on the top of her head and gave a deep sigh.

"Well, no matter what, I will be here for you, throughout this, throughout the Games, I will never leave your side," he hummed, stroking the girl's hair as he did so. Loretta pulled away and looked up at the boy.

"Promise?"

"I promise." There was a momentary silence before in an unspoken agreement, the two smacked their lips into each other. They held the kiss for a few seconds until Romilda started to move into it then Loretta pushed him away.

"I will not become like Pallas-"

"I thought it was over." Loretta gave a nod, allowing Romilda to smile. "Then what's holding you back-" Romilda was unable to finish due to Loretta pushing him to the ground, straddling him and smashing her lips into his.

It was so rough that Romilda was unable to lift his head yet he worried she would get second thoughts, give him a taste of what he had lost and take it away. However, after she started grinding and made no attempt to stop Romilda from undoing her dress, he knew she wasn't going anywhere.

Venus had left Marzio the moment she got the chance, leaving the boy in the middle of the dance floor alone. He tried to smile but really he just wanted to crawl into a hole and cry. He had electrocuted half of the Warriors almost, including Venus. He was seen as a traitor. Aside from Annabella, she thought it was cool.

Anyway, as he was stood then, he expected the last person to scoot up next to him to be Shelly, holding her purse tightly. Marzio looked over to her and frowned.

"You can edit photo's right?" Shelly asked.

"What is it to you?"

"Now, if that any way to speak to someone you electrocuted."

Marzio shifted awkwardly. "What do you want editing?" Shelly smiled before leaning to whisper in the boy's ear.

"No, why would I ever do that?" scoffed, turning away from the smug looking girl.

"Well, turns out Snow's daughter has a thing for me, but I am sure Snow will believe a little hacker like you stole them." Marzio froze, his drink trembling in his hand.

"But-"

"And then we can all guarantee that Snow will eliminate you...if he does not already plan to but I don't think you want to take that risk, right?"

Thank you for saving me," Nero sighed, not even looking up from his empty glass at Evelyn. He had been slightly sour since he was knocked out of training. I could have died if it was the real thing. There was nothing more than small talk he felt up to, really he just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep.

Evelyn gave a nod, one again ending any chance of conversation. However, her part was the shakes, on a date with the boy she had been crushing on since a child? Nothing could go wrong but in her nervous state, she was not making it a night to remember either.

"I'm off to get a drink...you want anything?" Nero sighed, dusting off his jacket.

"Surprise me!" Evelyn sang, earning the first grin from the boy that night. However, once he was gone, she sat back in her chair and sighed. At this rate, he won't want to be your friend, let alone fall for you-

Evelyn was interrupted by a buzzing. Her eyes flickered over to Nero's tablet that he had left on his chair, a recent message flashing up from Marzio. Evelyn tapped the screen to get a longer look at the photo attached. It was a low-quality photo but the two subjects could be easily made out. It was Annabella and Berik, making out.

"Nero!"

Where's Nero?" Annabella asked as she scooted up next to Evelyn. The dark haired girl frowned.

"Shouldn't you be more bothered about where Berik is?" Evelyn spat, crossing her arms.

Annabella let out a small laugh. "He is over there with Vulcan," she pointed out, gesturing towards the bounce, blonde boy.

"How could you?" Evelyn cut in, he eyes glaring at the blue-haired girl. "How could you cheat on someone like Nero?"

Annabella felt her heart stopped, her body tense as Evelyn said these words. "I didn't-" She stopped when the toilet door at the side of the bar opened for Nero, his eyes red despite his attempt to calm down. He looked over to Annabella then quickly away, tears threatening to spill from his eyes once more.

"I didn't-"

"We will talk about it in the morning," Nero sighed. "Evelyn's taking me home." Annabella watched him walk away but when Evelyn moved forward, dragged her back with her arm.

"Do you think you can get with him by telling him lies?" Annabella seethed, Evelyn just pulled a disgusted face.

"I might like him but I would never hurt him to get what I want," Evelyn growled. "You just don't understand how lucky you were," and with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Annabella at the bar by herself.

The girl started to sob, her chest moving rapidly as she tried to hold in a wounded wail. "I didn't do it!" she screamed until her throat hurt, uncaring towards the people who looked and stared.

"Annie?" Berik asked Marzio had already slinked away with guilt.

"Leave me alone!" she growled back at the boy before vanished out of the exit.

"You like me, don't you," Coutille sighed, glancing over at her bad dancing partner, Tore. The boy's face flushed red and although he went to defend himself, he could tell by the sad look in the girl's eyes that it was no use.

"Yeah, for a bit...guess I didn't impress you, huh?" Coutille looked down at the floor where her eyes had been for most of the evening.

"I-it's not that, we go into the Arena in two days…so, you see, even if I like you back, I can not afford for weakness." Tore's face dropped as he turned back around to face the bar, gripping his hot, spiced apple in his hands. Coutille watched the boy try to hold back his tears with pity. She had watched him for a long time, going out of his way to impress her but she had ignored his advances.

"Well, I guess if I am going to die anyway, I have something to tell you...about the latest election." his words intrigued but she still had not gotten over her guilt from the rejection.

"Tell me while we dance," she laughed through a grin, offering her hand out towards the short boy.

Grover walked down the halls, trying his best to escape the crowded room of Capitol guests. It was not long before he was lost but he recognized the people that passed him, giving himself comfort that he could always find his way back.

"Congratulations!" one green hair man cheered as he passed the boy, patting him on the shoulder. Grover found such an action strange but carried on until a butterfly covered woman did the same thing.

"Why?" Grover asked with a fake grin. The woman looked over to him, an amused smile on her face.

"Because of you and Belinda...I always knew you would get together, right from the start-"

"How did you know that?" Grover asked, slightly more concerned that he intended.

The woman frowned. "It's all over the live update, you made the front page." She sounded cheerful but Grover felt like mentally slapping himself until he bled. I only have to hide from Laurel for two more days-

Like all the bad luck had manifested for Grover at once, Laurel rounded the corner, her eyes locking onto the dark haired man like a lion on its kill. Grover could have taken her but in this instance, he decided to flee.

However, as he ran from his girlfriend, Belinda appeared in front of him, a worried expression on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked as the pair came to a stop.

"Did you know?" Laurel growled, pushing past Grover to look the girl in the eye.

"Know what-"

"That this prick was screwing you while he screwed me." the words hit Belinda like a fist to the chest, the world slowing down around her, moments before it shattered at her feet.

Her eyes moved over to Grover who looked guilty but terrified more than anything. "H-he wouldn't do anything like that," Belinda whispered with a shaky voice, trying to convince herself that the words Laurel spoke were not true. Grover's face said otherwise.

"Face it, we both got played...He isn't worth it," Laurel sighed, glaring at Grover as she did. Grover opened his mouth to speak but Laurel just turned and walked away, leaving him and Belinda in silence.

Sunbeam flopped on the sofa that faced the TV in the living area. It bleared out updates on the progression of The Games, the Warriors crowded around it with blank expressions on their face. "Did everyone have fun?" she smiled but the group just glared at her optimism.

"mine could have been worse," Nathalie offered with a shrug.

"You could have danced more," Janae grumbled, earning a scowl from Nathalie.

"Why don't you just shut up-"

"Come on guys, we are all friends here-" Clarissa was interrupted by Grover rising to his feet and smashing his glass against the coffee table.

"Stop with the bullshit, we ain't friends, we never were, we were just raised to kill each other!"

"You okay?" Ares whispered a passed out Maurice against his shoulder. Grover looked at the boy, his face softening slightly.

"No, the girl I have dated for years left me and I just know that Gerhard will be on her like a dog to a bone!" Belinda shook her head, her eyes still red with tears.

"Nice to know that is all you care about," she snapped, pushing herself off the sofa and storming to her room. The Warriors watched in shock, their eyes glancing over to an enraged Grover.

"Where the fuck do you think-" Grover's words were interrupted when with an electric hum, metal slats dropped in front of the windows, blocking the outside world from view. Any rage or anger the Warriors may have felt melted away into fear, Belinda backing back towards the group that had huddled together by the TV.

With a beep, the sound of each Warrior's room door locking itself rang through the apartment until the silence was once again regained. However, it was short lived as seconds after, with a shattering bang, the door swung open, making way for thirty Peacekeepers holding bulletproof cases and large guns. They were followed by Cadmus Agne, a large grin on his face.

The blue-eyed man stopped in front of the Warriors and looked them over with a large smile. Once all of the Peacekeepers had got into position and the room had fallen silent, he spoke.

"As you know, I am your Head Gamemaker and like you guys, this is my first shot at The Games. Now, for ten years, your life has been pretty easy but I am sorry to inform you that the easy life comes to an end tonight. It is time to get down to business."