Second day in the Capitol

Yolanda Underwood (15)- District 12 female tribute

The Outsider

When I find the energy to pull myself out of bed- ah, I've never slept so comfortably in my life!- the first thing I notice is that a black T-shirt and a pair of black pants rest on a chair, right beside my bed. The T-shirt has number 12 printed on its back and on both its sleeves. There is also a pair of leather shoes under the chair. That's my training outfit. I wear it. I take my inhaler from the bedside table, but unfortunately my pants have no pockets to put it in. I snort. Luckily, there's a well-stocked closet in my room. I rummage in it till I find a grey sweater. It's not black, but who cares? It has two pockets, that's what matters.

I join the others in the dining room. They're already having breakfast.

"Good morning, Yolanda. Slept fine?" Terry greets me.

Terry Appalachia, the mentor of District 12. She won the 86th Hunger Games at age sixteen. It must be said that the arena advantaged her- a maze of underground tunnels that was nicknamed "rabbit hole"- and she used to work in a mine.

I sit at the black marble table. "Like a log," I reply, while I'm filling a bowl with a spoonful of yogurt and wild fruit.

"Excellent, you'll need to be wide awake. Today, first day of training, but we must elaborate a strategy right away," she continues.

"Very true," Alice chimes in… just to say something, I suppose.

I don't see what role escorts play at this stage. They're just members of the districts' teams and that's it, I suppose… as useful as a decoration on a cake.

"We could form an alliance, Yolanda and I," offers Fabian.

"No," I promptly reply.

In response, everyone in the room turns to me. All this attention is awkward, but I was ready for that.

"I'm not a reliable ally due to my asthma. I'd rather train on my own," I explain, my eyes fixed on my bowl of yogurt.

"You're joking!" he says, unbelieving.

"No, I'm serious. There can be only one victor, so I'll avoid making connections. Do whatever you want, Fabian, but don't involve me."

"You cannot be serious!" he insists.

"Okay, as you wish, Yolanda, I'll train you separately," Terry chimes in.

"What!?" shouts Fabian.

"These things can happen, Fabian. If she doesn't want to join any alliance, we cannot oblige her," she explains.

After finishing breakfast, Fabian and I take the lift to the gym. He doesn't say a word. I didn't mean to offend him, but I preferred to make matters clear right away.

The gym where we will be training for three days is located in a basement. It is high-ceilinged, with different kinds of station scattered here and there. Once all the tributes are reunited, the head trainer- a muscled man, bald, with tanned skin and frightening, yellow eyes- welcomes us. He lists the rules that we have to follow while training here: basically, we can move around freely, but no conflicts will be permitted. For the entire duration of his explanation, I notice that someone is gazing at me. It's the boy of District 4. What does he want from me?

…...

Henry Almonds (14)- District 3 male tribute

The Chemist

I head immediately to the plant identification station. Ambra doesn't follow me, though. We're a team, but we've decided to try out stations on our own and evaluate the situation together during lunch break. In this way, we will be able to develop different skills. A team in which everyone has the same skill is useless… that's what Ambra thinks, and I agree with her.

While I'm matching images of trees with their corresponding fruits on a computer screen, a realization hits me: there's little variety of flora- mainly shrubberies and low plants. Is that a hint about the arena? I finish the exercise in no time and the trainer compliments me. I don't leave the station immediately, though; I stay a bit longer just to see if they change the plants to identify. No, other tributes try after me, but there are always the same plants on the screen. Umm… shrubberies and low plants… does it mean that there will be few hiding places in the arena? What type of landscape should I expect? What kind of weather? Providing few hiding places might be a way to end things quickly. I freeze at the thought.

There's a canteen adjoining the gym. At lunch, I sit at the same table as Ambra.

"How was your morning?" she asks me.

"I tried out the plant identification station," I answer.

"It's not rocket science for you, I suppose," she says, smiling.

"Yeah, but something has surprised… or, rather, worried me."

"What?" she asks.

"Well, I don't know if that's a hint or not, but, given the little variety of plants available, I think that we should except a rather barren arena," I reply.

"A barren arena?" she echoes me with a certain fear in her voice.

"There will be some vegetation but low. I mean… don't expect to find a forest to hide in."

In response, she looks down at her food tray, musing. "The arena is the least of our problems for the moment. Now, we should focus on forming a solid alliance."

"You and I are not enough?" I ask her, a bit surprised.

"I think we should find another ally. Three is better than two."

"And who are you thinking of?"

She points at somebody in front of her. "Christopher, the boy of District 6," she answers.

I turn around. Christopher is eating alone a couple of tables ahead of us.

"I've observed him this morning. He's agile, swift, and good enough at throwing knives. Henry, you're the expert in plants and medical remedies, I am the tactician, and Christopher knows how to use a weapon… the perfect trio," explains Ambra with a self-confident smile on her lips.

"It could work."

"It will. Now, let's go sit at his table!"

She stands up, carrying her food tray. I follow her, trying to ignore the sharp looks some Careers throw at us.

"Could we keep company with you?" Ambra asks Christopher.

He looks up. "S-sure," he replies.

Clearly, he didn't expect anybody to talk to him. Ambra and I sit down.

Christopher looks a bit uneasy, but luckily she immediately breaks the ice: "We were wondering if you'd like to join our alliance…"

His eyes light up. "Really? You're not joking, are you?"

"We'd have no reason to joke," I say.

"Yes, we want you in our alliance. I saw you at the obstacle course. Where have you learnt to be that agile?" Ambra continues.

He blushes, scratching behind his ear. "Well, let's say that my life in Six is hectic," he replies.

There's a hint of reluctance in his behaviour, but maybe it's just because we're two strangers to him. I wouldn't open up to a person I've just met either.

"What about your district partner?" I ask him to change the subject.

"Alexa? She's not going to ally with anybody… not with me, at least. I'm too young and weak in her opinion, so if you counted on her…"

"We're interested only in you," Ambra hurries to clarify. "Would you like to join our alliance, then?"

Christopher looks first at her then at me. He smiles. "Well, you seem good guys, so yes, count on me."

…...

Vivian "Vivi" Tide (18)- District 4 female tribute

The Mermaid

I look around the canteen. Some alliances have already been formed: the couple of District 3 is talking to the boy from Six, and the tributes from Nine and Thirteen have spent the whole morning together. Smaller groups compared to ours, anyway. The Career pack will be the strongest alliance in the arena this year, and I'm glad to be part of it.

"We could start talking about strategy, if your district partner joined us," Victor addresses me, interrupting my musings.

"He'll come soon," I reply with a slight smile.

"I hope so. Actually, I saw him follow around the girl from Twelve like a puppy. Assuming that he wants to be a Career, what's his plan, then? Does he know that it's training day and not dating day?" he goes on.

"Who knows?" I say with a shrug.

The truth is that Oliver has had a strange attitude towards that girl since he watched her Reaping on the train. I wonder why. Does he know her? No, it can't be, she lives in a whole different district!

"Oh, stop it, Victor! Maybe it's just a crush. Vivian has assured us that her partner is our ally, and we trust her, don't we?" Kyle chimes in.

"Thank you. And please, Kyle, call me Vivi. Vivian is too formal," I say, winking at him.

"I just want to be sure that my allies are worth of my trust. Who made you boss, by the way?"

"Hey, stop arguing, you two! No one is the boss, we're a team!" says Excelsa.

Oliver finally joins us at our table.

"You took your time, Four!"

Victor is in the mood for provocation, apparently.

"Sorry if I'm late," Oliver apologizes.

Victor is about to open his mouth again, but we all scowl at him. Luckily, he understands that he has to keep quiet.

Excelsa takes the word by clearing her throat. "I think we should start elaborating a strategy for the bloodbath. No matter how the arena is like, we need to take control of the cornucopia. My suggestion is to split into two groups: one composed by the fastest, who will rush to the cornucopia and prevent other tributes from taking supplies; and the other one, which will get rid of possible threats. What do you think?"

"It's a good plan. But on the basis of what criteria will we split?" says Scarlett, speaking monotone.

She speaks little, but, when she does, I can't help feeling a chill down my spine. She always sounds so emotionless.

"Our training performance will determine that. I think we should start observing one another. We'll decide the last day," replies Excelsa.

I feel a knot in my throat. It won't take long for my allies to realize that I lack training. What will they do, then? Will they kick me out of the alliance? Even Kyle, who's always so nice, might turn his back on me… no, I can't let it happen! My best bet is focusing on what I can already do like tying knots and fishing with makeshift spears. Yeah, spears could be my weapon of choice. Spearing fishes, spearing people… doesn't make a big difference, right? I'm definitely not going to use tridents… I mean, I've never seen anyone use a trident in District 4! Why do they still consider it as our representative weapon, then? How ridiculous!

…...

Victor Blade (18)- District 2 male tribute

The Envious

After finishing lunch, I head straight to the sword station. I need to blow off some steam! I start mutilating dummies with such a fury, that even the trainer assigned to this station backs off. Excelsa said that no one is the boss, but didn't she behave as such, in the end? And the others were all eating out of her hand! Then, that Oliver… what does he want to do? Should I really accept to have a brat in love as an ally? And Kyle even defended him! Stop it, Victor! It's just a crush… just because he's the son of two victors doesn't mean that he can say whatever he wants! A Career pack!? No, it's a bunch of idiots!

"Hey! Let others have some fun too!" complains a voice behind my back.

I turn around. Scarlett is staring at me with her cold eyes, her arms crossed.

"What do you want?" I ask her, annoyed.

"You're not very polite, Victor."

"Don't make me lose my temper!"

She smirks. "Haven't you lost it yet?"

"Scarlett…"

She interrupts me: "I was just observing you, as Excelsa recommended. I wonder if I should tell our allies that you're not the chosen tribute… nah, let them find out themselves how incapable and unreliable you are."

"Is that a threat?"

"A warning," she corrects me.

That said, she walks away. I resume my exercise, angrier than before. But it looks like I cannot train in peace today, because someone else interrupts me: it's the boy of District 10.

"I'd like to try as well, you cannot monopolize a station just because you're a Career," he points out in an arrogant manner.

I come closer to him. "Oh, really? And who'll stop me? You?" I say, defiant.

"Step aside," he rebuts, speaking slowly.

He's watching me right in the eye… oh, how much I hate when people look at me like that! That's the gaze of someone who's used to looking down to others, I know it very well… this boy must be privileged in his district.

"No," I reply. "What are you going to do now?"

In response, he clenches his fists. I smirk. Yeah, let's see what you can do, Ten…

But a couple of trainers intervene to separate us.

"Please, Tim, come away," whispers his district partner, who has stood aside all the time.

"Yes, Tim, listen to her!"

"Don't you dare…"

"Beware, you could be the first to die!"

The trainers push us apart. I return to the sword station and the couple from District 10 walks away.

…...

Estrella Sol (17)- District 10 female tribute

The Rejected

Tim is walking so fast that I struggle to keep up with him. The boy from District 2 has really got on his nerves, but what did he except from a Career? Careers are usually arrogant and full of themselves; they've been training all their lives for the Hunger Games, and they're well aware of their superiority, so it was quite obvious that he wouldn't let Tim stay. Tim has even defied him! What's the matter with him? He has never been a brawler!

"Is everything okay?" I ask him, when he finally stops.

"Nothing is okay!" he shouts.

"That boy was rude, but you shouldn't get angry about him, it's not worth it," I say, trying to soothe him.

"It's not worth it!? Careers have had plenty of time to prepare for this, but they still want more training! What for? They should… I don't know… is it so wrong to think that they should let others try as well? At least to have a chance…"

"It's not wrong, Tim, but they don't think like that. We can only try to avoid them; there's no use in antagonizing them, once in the arena they'll try to kill you in any case."

"That's the point."

"But a good alliance could…"

"Don't want to know about alliances," he states, interrupting me.

"What? Why?" I ask him, bewildered.

"Isn't that obvious? As you said, Careers will try to kill us all, but hunting down a group is easier than finding a loner. The less connections the better," he explains.

"But I though t-that…" I stammer.

"What? That we would be in the same alliance? Sorry to disappoint you, but if I ally with someone, this someone will be reliable… and you're not reliable due to your sentiments!"

"How can you say that?" I protest.

Why does he treat me like that? He doesn't need to be so cruel!

"Estrella! If I asked you to die for me, you would! I want a fighter as an ally, not a martyr!"

At this stage, he walks away. I'm about to follow him, but someone holds my arm out of a sudden. I immediately turn around. It's a girl with two golden braids, blue-grey eyes, and freckles on her nose- the female tribute of District 9, if I don't mistake.

"Don't follow him, if you have dignity," she tells me.

"What?"

"Follow him, if you want, but you won't work things out, I assure you. You'll just let him break your heart even more," she goes on.

"You don't know anything about us!" I retort.

"Well, you're in love with him, but he constantly rejects you, thus making you suffer. Is there anything else I need to know?

I consider her words for a moment. "Touché," I admit eventually.

She lets go of my arm, smiling. "Instead of wasting time with him, why don't you join our alliance? We'd be five with you… enough to keep away those hateful Careers," she offers.

"You, I, and who?" I ask her, genuinely curious.

"The tributes from Thirteen and my district partner- he's little annoying, in my opinion. See? You're not the only one who has problems with men," she answers.

I'm taken aback by her frankness, but I like her. After all, if Tim doesn't want me as an ally, it doesn't mean that I cannot look for other alliances, does it? No matter in what alliance you're in, tributes fight all for themselves, in the end. I've got a family back home- my friend Celina and my grandma. I hope they're fine, especially my grandma…

"You can take your time before answering. I'm Rebecca, by the way," she says.

I shake hands with her. "Estrella. And I don't need to take my time, my answer is yes."


What kind of arena do you think I chose? Those who guess will earn 50 POINTS. I will PM you in case (a little disclaimer: don't look at the cover image, because I'm going to change it after presenting the arena).

Submitters can assign points to: Victor (D2M), Henry (D3M), Vivian (D4F), Estrella (D10F), Yolanda (D12F)

Specific questions about tributes:

Victor: what do you think of his attitude?

Henry: what do you think of the perfect trio?

Vivian: will she manage to impress her fellow Careers?

Estrella: joining the rebel alliance was a good choice in your opinion?

Yolanda: do you agree with her decision to train on her own?

Current status of alliances:

- Careers: Kyle (D1M), Excelsa (D1F), Victor (D2M), Scarlett (D2F), Oliver (D4M), Vivian (D4F)

- Rebel alliance: Adam (D9M), Rebecca (D9F), Estrella (D10F), Owen (D13M), Christine (D13F)

- The perfect trio: Henry (D3M), Ambra (D3F), Christopher (D6M)

- Loners: Alexa (D6F), Timothy (D10M), Yolanda (D12F)

Thank you a lot for reading. Please, leave a review, if you liked this chapter. I'm always glad to know what you think :)