Azure Doyle
Hiyas was just like me. Crap.
Avarielle Hanson
Oh no what do I say? I've never done this before. Why don't they just keep letting Pray be mentor? She's the best at it.
"Ahem... good morning. I'm Ava, and I'll be your mentor. I suppose we should get to know each other. What made you decide to volunteer for the Games?" I asked Valerie.
"Me and my little brother always bickered over who was going to be the family's Victor. I'll show him how it's done," she said.
"I wouldn't want my little brother in the Games," I said. She went from enthusiastic to uncertain in an instant. I ruined everything within two minutes. I knew they should have had Pray do this.
Acee Hal
"I hear you're good with electronics," I said to Electra. She shrugged.
"Probably not as good as you, but I get by," she said.
"Keep doing what you're doing. Tell me if you need help," I said.
"I hear you're good at... fighting," I said to Demarcus. I craned my neck to look up at him and wondered what a musclehead like him was doing in Three.
"Yeah, but I want to learn some other things to. And- this might be stupid, so that's okay- but I'd like to look into an alliance. With someone who has different skills, you know?" he seemed oddly vulnerable for such a big guy, like he was afraid I was going to laugh.
"That's a great idea. Intelligence is more than mechanics, you know," I said. For the first time, Demarcus smiled.
Jonah Breaker
Most of my Tributes preferred Tridents, and they were usually muscular from years of swimming. Angelo was nothing like that. At first I wrote him off, but he surprised me.
"I know guys from Four usually go with the Careers, but I don't want to stay with them long. Don't tell anyone, but I'm sort of a medic," he said.
"A medic... Career?" I asked, my skepticism obvious in my face and tone.
"I want them to think I'm a medic. I do know all that stuff, but I also know what medicines kill. That's the part I don't want them to know.
It seems I judged too soon.
Sky Levings
"I want to learn something new. Can you teach me about explosives?" Quiola asked me.
"That's a lot to learn if you're just starting now. It would be easier to learn traps. Also, be sure to learn survival stuff. Us city slickers from Five have a disadvantage in most Arenas," I told her.
"Okay. Thanks," Quiola said.
"Whatever you do, be sure to impress the Gamemakers. If you get a good score in your session, they'll want to see whatever you showed them in the Arena. They'll be more likely to put supplies you need near your platform or put you far away from the Careers," I said.
"Cool! I'll win this thing yet," she said. My Tributes didn't usually smile on the train. She seemed like she wanted to put me at ease, and I hoped I could do the same for her.
Toby Cash
There was a boy and a girl with me in the train. The boy was trying to get off. He must be able to fly. The girl didn't like him. She yelled something at him and shook his collar.
They were making so much noise. I hummed to myself and looked out the window. The colors were pretty as they went by.
Paul Wilson
Ash sat down across the table from me silently. He didn't look sad, or scared, or anything at all. He looked dead. Then his lip trembled and he folded over the table with his head in his arms, crying so hard he shook.
"It's okay. We're all scared," I said. I put a hand on his back and he shook his head. He kept trying to say something, but he couldn't get it out.
"Peach," he said at last. It was muffled by his arms and the table. He must have left behind a girlfriend.
Tillo Peters
"Is there a library in the Capitol?" Incense asked straight away.
"I guess so. I never looked," I said.
"Libraries always feel like home," she said. She could do whatever she wanted, but I could at least give her a nudge in the right direction.
"You should focus on learning to fight," I said.
"I will. I just thought I could learn some things out of books," she said. It wasn't my style, but I wasn't the only Victor.
Chimera Ilium
What have I done to deserve this? Is this how the people in Nine raised their children? Diggory was a savage. He hadn't left my side since we got him on the train. As soon as I sat down he climbed up in my lap and started pulling at my rainbow bow tie. It was like caring for a baby. I tried to maintain my decorum.
"Now Granja- excuse me, Diggory- I doubt you've had much chance to learn proper etiquette. In the Capitol, you'll be expected to be a graceful-" I squirmed as Diggory's exploratory movements tickled me- "young ladee." My train of thought was by then completely derailed by the wild child flicking my earring with a finger.
"I shall do my very best," Granja said. Her face froze as she politely tried not to laugh. She was off to a good start.
Bambi Kirkland
I could tell right away Rory was a nice guy. That made him Bloodbath material.
"It's nice to meet you. Good job winning," he said.
"Don't mention it. I'm supposed to teach you how to win, but if it's all right, I'd rather teach you how to stay alive," I said. He shrugged.
"It's the same thing. I don't want to fight anyone anyway. But I guess I'd know how if I had to. At home we all have to help slaughter cows.
Cattle.
I fled the room.
Pepper Wilson
"Hoban and I are allies," Ventrix said.
"No kidding," I said. I wished it wasn't so, even though it would help her chances. If I could leave the boys to Orchard and never come into contact with them, it wasn't so bad. The girls I could help. They weren't like... someone else.
"Hoban's stronger than me. I should focus more on survival stuff," she said. I latched onto it immediately.
"Perfect. Orchard's good with that stuff, so he should work more with her. I can help you with food and shelter," I said.
"Great!" she said. Exactly.
Nubu Sanders
I had someone's life in my hands. It had happened once before, and I'd always regret the way it turned out. I was supposed to mentor both Chase and Peach, but I had an ally in Demi. She wasn't like most Capitolites. She knew far more about the Games than I did, and she was most likely a better mentor than I'd ever be. Peach took to her right away, and I was left with Chase.
I was left with what was left of Chase, that was. I barely saw him on the train, since he was rushed straight to the medical car for massive doses of antibiotics. I knew from what little I'd seen that we'd need to focus on running, not fighting. I thought of another Tribute his age who lived far longer than anyone would have thought. Chase wasn't finished yet.