Training Day I:

Rhea Mandelle, District Nine

The first thing that I notice about the Training Center is just how wide the entire building is. I mean, I heard about Training Centers being big in the Career Districts, but is this really what they're like? This thing is absolutely enormous! There's no way that the Capitol would hand the Career Districts something this large, no matter how much they adore them.

When I enter – and I'm one of the last people to arrive while following the rest of the group – there's a circle around the administrator from yesterday. Eliora, I think her name was. Yeah. She's holding up a clipboard and has a pen in her hand. Moving her head from side-to-side, she takes note of which tributes are here, and it seems like all of them are present.

Standing next to me is a boy who's bouncing on his feet, like he's actually excited to be here. His fists are balled up tightly, like he can't wait to jump into the action, and I'm weary of him. I feel so uncomfortable around him, thinking that he could pounce on me and rip out my hair in any second now.

''Welcome, tributes, to the Training Center,'' Eliora introduces. ''Here is where all of you will be accompanied to everyday for three days consecutively at ten in the morning. What consists here are stations that will provide help for all of you to better prepare you for the Games – and yes, even the Careers can find help. All around, there are racks of deadly weapons that can be used to torment your fellow tributes in the Arena.''

When she says this, a couple of tributes begin whispering to each other, and some even begin sweating. I feel a hand reach for mine, and when I look down and see that creepy boy again, I shriek. As soon as the two of us make eye-contact, I burst into tears, trying to back away from the malicious male.

''Settle down, now,'' Eliora says. ''You,'' she points at me. ''Get yourself up here so that I can keep an eye on you. Don't start trouble now. You have nothing to cry over yet, honey.'' My heart skips a beat when she says this. ''Now, if you'd all let me continue... These weapons are real, do you understand that? And by no means necessary should I see any of you fighting. If you're caught fighting, there will be extreme consequences. If you want to spar with someone, there are trainers to do that with.''

''What if we're dying to fight?'' I turn around and see the same boy who touched my hand raising his up to ask a question. His eyes meet mine again, and silent tears go streaking down my face once more.

''Then you can settle it out in the Arena, there's nothing holding you back once you're in there. Go at it and rip each others' throats out if you'd like,'' Eliora states. ''Just don't do it in here.''

''Great.''

''I would also like to warn all of you to decide not to only practice with weapons,'' she heeds. ''Knowledge is just as deadly as a weapon. If you decide to spend all of your time figuring out how to use a sword, you won't have any survival skills to make a fire or realize which types of berries are the poisonous ones or not, or even learn how to decontaminate dirty water. Just keep that in mind.''

I let that sink into my mind for a second.

Right, it's a fact that weapons help tributes win – after all, that's how they usually end up coming out of the Arena alive, but I have no weapon experience. And what am I gonna do in the span of three days? There's no way possible that I'm gonna learn how to use a weapon properly and efficiently, so why should I even bother?

I can't do this, and I'll never be able to. I don't even get why these stupid people bother to tell us how to train when most of us – especially me – won't even gain anything from this. It's ridiculous and pointless! Pointless just like my hopes of actually surviving the Bloodbath. There's no confidence in me and I'm not athletic. I'm a clumsy little girl, so what can I possibly do? Even with a knife at my side, I'd probably burst into tears and begin shaking like a little brat because I just can't handle it!

''You okay?'' I look up and see a tall boy accosting me. There's a One on his shoulder, and that scares me. For all I know, he could be the person sending a spear through my chest in the Arena; all of these people could be. Slowly, I turn away and stare at the ground.

I was hoping that he would leave me alone, but he bends over and looks me right in the eye as he peaks down under me. ''I was just wondering if—''

Jolting backwards, I let out a shriek and feel no shame when the tears continue to rush down my face. ''Excuse you, I am still speaking,'' Eliora interrupts the both of us. ''You need to stop crying,'' she's referring to me. ''And you need to stop intimidating her.''

''Are you accusing me of starting trouble?'' he asks. ''I was just asking if she was okay.''

''Do not talk back to me.''

''Whatever.''

''But like I was saying earlier,'' Eliora regains her state of mind. ''Survival will help. But do not focus mainly on that. Weapons are an important part, and yes, I may be contradicting myself here, but I'm letting you all know that you must plan properly. Spend an equal amount of time learning both, but that is not my decision to make for you, it is your own. The booths around here are open until the Training Center closes, so use that time to your advantage and stay at them as long as you need. That's all that I have to tell you, but if you need any assistance, then do not falter to ask me or any of the trainers here.''

''But why?!'' I cry.

''Why what?'' Eliora asks.

''Why do you guys make us go through this?'' I can feel my heart pounding and my body temperature rising incredibly. ''Why do we have to learn how to properly use a weapon to kill each other? Why do we have to learn what's right from wrong when it comes to berries or plants or whatever so that we don't get infected in the Arena? Why did you guys even come up with this stupid idea—?!''

''This stupid idea is tradition, and you will follow that tradition,'' she growls. ''Your sacrifice is what makes our country great, and if you cannot deal with what's going on, then just jump off of your pedestal. Complaining won't change a thing, so you might as well get through it yourself if you can't find a way to look past it.''

My heart begins beating at a thousand rates per minute. Sweat drips from the top of my head down to my nose, and hangs at the tip of my chin. I tightly clench my fists and bare my teeth, trying so hard to hold myself back from yelling and lashing out at Eliora, but holding it back only results in more tears.

I'm trying so hard to think about everyone else who's going through so much in Panem. All of the starving mothers who desperately try to survive for their children, all of the jobless fathers trying to provide for their families, and all of the uneducated kids who don't know what to do with their lives because they've been kicked out of their parents' home.

But what is worse than the Hunger Games? They're lucky compared to me. They're fortunate; I'm unfortunate. Lilac told me to keep my head held up high and to look for the best in every situation, but what's to look at here?

Everyone just witnessed me cry, and who would want to ally with a crybaby? I've ruined all of my shots at survival in these Games. Every tribute gets accredited to something while spending time in the Arena; I'm gonna get accredited for being the first death, killed either maliciously or quickly.

But maybe I should get accustomed to death. Maybe watch some film with Lilac and prepare myself for what's awaiting me in a couple of days. Maybe if I stay still and sit down on my pedestal and wait for someone to attack me, then I'll do happily. It won't be a misfortune, after all.

''I will, then!'' I agree. Eliora looks at me, perplexed. The other tributes have all turned and gone already, but Eliora and I remain on the Capitol seal that's painted on the concrete floor. ''I already know that I'm not gonna live, and nobody is willing to ally with me. This is just so stupid in the end. My shots at winning are as big as a successful rebellion.''

''I'm happy to hear that you've made a decision,'' she nods. ''That leaves space for all the interesting tributes to put on a show for the Capitol, and that's all they hoped for. But if a tribute like you isn't willing to fight for her life, to prove that she's worth at least one breath of air, then it makes no difference to us – we'll forget about you as soon as your face appears in the sky.''

''Your adoration for these Games is sickening,'' I mumble.

''And your lack of confidence is shameful,'' she laughs. ''How in the world are you supposed to show everyone that you're worth the Victor crown if you've given up before you hit the Arena? You act like you're suffering!''

''I am suffering!''

''No, you're not,'' she shakes her head. ''What these kids go through in the Arena is something you'll never experience properly because you're not even trying to hide the fact that you're insecure. You're just waiting for death to hit you, but you're not embracing it. You're trying to doubt it but you look foolish. If you were actually trying, I would give you some hope – no matter how small – and tell you that you were worth winning and living, but I guess not.''

She doesn't even look back at me when she turns around, and walks away. I want her to come back and apologize to me and tell me that I am worth it, that she's willing to talk to me and reassure me.

But she proceeds to walk away, and I'm left with my depressing thoughts and lack of hope.

I probably should just end it early.

Avery Billings, District Ten

Guess where I'm going.

There's a rack near the far side of the Training Center that consists of nothing but knives. Shiny knives that glisten even as I continue to get closer and closer to them. Everyone around seems so prioritized in their own business, besides that little girl who just sits on the Capitol logo in the center of the building.

She's honestly such a little bitch. I just wanna see her bleed. She better watch her back in the Arena, but I hope she stays like this, on her pedestal or something, so that I can run over there with a knife and slice her forehead open to see what's hiding inside that head of hers.

Ignoring the girl after multiple seconds of staring at her and contemplating multiple ways to kill her with a knife, I accelerate my pace and arrive at the knife rack at the same time my District Partner does. We both stop at the same time, just as I reach in for a knife that she was looking to grab, and I let out a chuckle.

''Didn't know you were a fan of knives,'' I ponder, tapping my fingers against the hilt of the murderous weapon. These knives are absolutely perfect. There's no rust to them, nor are there any scratches or any signs of faults. ''Well, you gonna speak up or continue to just stare at me?''

Vendetta was her name – and I wouldn't have learned that if my Mentor didn't speak up and call her out on her quiet bullshit. She grabs the hilt of the knife, dragging the entire weapon away from me just as I was about to take it.

I narrow my eyes and stare up at her, furrowing my eyebrows as abusive thoughts flow throughout my mind. ''Hey,'' I call, abstaining my anger from her being able to recognize it. ''So you just rip other people's weapons away from them?''

Constantly, and I mean constantly, she just remains quiet and it's beginning to get to me. I clench my fists and bite back and snarl as I watch her walk away, and turn my attention back to the other knives. ''Stupid whore,'' I whisper. ''She thinks she can just do this and that whenever she pleases, take my weapon away, but watch when I fucking stab her in the throat in the..!''

Sighing, I close my eyes and repeatedly tell myself that there are an abundant supply of knives all around – some short, some dull, some small, but all effective in the same way; I can use them all to kill when it's all said and done.

It's been some time now, and I haven't accomplished anything significant at all. Absentmindedly, I measure the knife that's in my hands and throw it back and forth from left to right.

There's a movement in the corner of my eye, and I see a female silhouette pass by me. Her brown hair swivels in the air, and she reaches out to grab a random knife, but there's a smile on her face.

''Hello,'' I say.

Hesitantly, she leans against the display of weapons and looks at me questioningly. ''Hi?''

''Don't be a stranger,'' I laugh. ''We're gonna eventually be in the Arena, killing each other soon, so why not get to know each other before all the mayhem?''

Maybe she's like me... I want to fit in with someone, anyone. I look at her shoulder and see a Three. Oh, so she's a smart girl, huh? She acts as if she didn't hear my question and turns around. Shooting my hand forward, I grab a hold of her shoulder and ask, ''It feels nice in your hands, doesn't it? Bet you've used it before.''

''Are you accusing me of something?'' she snaps, turning around rapidly. ''If you're implying that I've used a knife to hurt someone before, then you're wrong.''

''Hey, hey, don't be so acrimonious, I was just wondering if you liked the feeling of that knife.'' I place my fingers on the tip of my knife and smile. ''I was just thinking that the knife you chose was just so achromatic... Like, it's just so dull of color and boring. You should've chosen something like this, one that shines and has great texture.''

The girl's lips quiver slowly, like she's aching in pain or something, but she quickly turns back around and jogs away. She looks over her shoulder, and it's as if she was trying to hide something from me. Like she was holding down her walls to make sure that I didn't intrude, but I will – eventually.

She ends up in one of the training stations, and I want to follow after her, but I came into these Games with one thought in my mind – to join the Careers. And there they are, all the way on the other side of the room, near most of the weapon stations around the target dummies.

I jog over there in a hurry, reaching them just in time as they begin introducing themselves in what looks like District order. Or maybe I'm wrong, because they already look accustomed to one another. They probably introduced themselves back in the garage, when I approached them the first time, but now they're talking about weapons or something.

''What about you, pretty boy?'' the One girl asks her District Partner. ''You haven't said anything at all yet.''

''Yeah, you've been watching us and keeping quiet like Two over there,'' the Four girl points to the Two girl.

''Excuse me?''

''Yes, you're excused, what is it?''

I'm unable to forbear a stifled laugh from escaping my lips, which draws all of their attention towards me. When all of their eyes meet my body, I inwardly jump but keep my cool as I stand in front of all of them in an appropriate manner.

''Him again?'' the Four girl groans, and turns around to her District Partner. ''Just ignore him, he's just looking for attention.''

Looking for attention? ''No, that's not what I'm looking for at all,'' I say out loud.

All of the Careers ignore me and exchange in their conversation again. ''I'm skilled with a couple of weapons,'' the One boy admits. ''But I like to keep hold of a javelin, as you can tell.'' He points to the javelin in his hand and stabs the bottom of the weapon to the ground. ''What about you guys?''

''We already said what we used,'' the One girl growls. ''Atlas uses a katana, Sigrid uses those butterfly swords or whatever they're called, Clarice uses her basic District Four weapon – a spear – and Zepp – can I call you Zepp? – uses some staff-type weapon that I've never seen before.''

''Quarterstaff,'' he corrects. ''And sure, you can call me Zepp.''

''I use knives,'' I say aloud.

''You can't say we and try to snap on me if you didn't even tell us what you used,'' the One male gets up. He plays with the javelin in his hand and whirls it behind his back and back to the front. ''Or do you not have a certain weapon and are afraid to let out the truth about you Volunteering?''

''Don't you ever question me like that!'' she grunts, pointing her finger directly in his face. With the force that she just showed, she could've poked his eye out, but she seemed hesitant on actually hitting him as he just stood still and laughed. ''Of course I have a weapon.''

''Then what is it?''

''I work with ropes, and poison,'' she nervously smiles, though her body language shows confidence. The other Careers all laugh, none of them even trying to hide their amusement. The Four boy seems to be having the time of his life, as he holds his weapon in front of him and thrusts it forward, taunting the girl.

''Ropes and poison?'' He sounds like he's discriminating her. He nudges his District Partner and begins talking again. ''You hear this?'' Getting up from his bench seat, he questions her: ''How are you gonna use rope and poison? You gonna wrap it around someone's throat and choke them, or better yet, hang them from a tree branch in the Arena? And your poison, how dumb would someone have to be to fall for that?''

''She thinks she's smart,'' his District Partner shakes her head. ''How much you wanna bet she can't even use a weapon properly? Should we even allow you to join the Careers, because as of now you sound pretty useless to me?''

''I agree,'' the Two girl says. She looks like the youngest one here, besides me.

''You guys act like you're all big and shit, but you're not showing any skills, so you can't be talking to me like that.''

''Shut up, Blush,'' the One boy tells his District Partner. He steps forward, looking at the dummies that are standing erect a long way across the front field. He draws his right arm back, takes a step forward with the opposite foot, and hurls his arm forward, sending the javelin flying across the field.

The javelin hits dead center, on the heart of the dummy, and he turns around with a cocky grin on his face. ''Okay, cool, you can use a javelin. So what, I'm leading the Career Pack this year, and there's nothing you guys can say to stop me.''

''Actually, no, it doesn't work that way,'' Atlas, I'm guessing, says. ''All of us have to agree on a leader, and you don't seem fit. I'm not trying to be harsh or anything, but that's just the truth. If you can't accept that, then get out.''

He winks at her, and I think his charm could've worked if he didn't sound so rude at first. He realizes his mistake and kinda shies away. ''I agree,'' his District Partner speaks up. ''I think whoever gets the highest training score should be leader.''

Zeppelin's District Partner's eyes widen at first, but then she chuckles and nods her head. Everyone else around all nod their heads as well, except for Blush. She stands there, flustered, her cheeks puffed and an exasperated frown on her face.

''I also think that's the way to go,'' I raise my hand up.

Turning around, the Four girl snaps and grabs my shirt as she shoves my shoulder. ''Why the hell are you still here, didn't I tell you to get out?'' Her face is so close to mine, and I can't help but laugh because I'm this close to a Career! This is so exciting. I begin bouncing up and down, the knife in my hand shaking with enthusiasm.

''Yeah, yeah!'' I laugh. ''Keep grabbing my shirt like that, show me that Career mentality of yours! Huh, why don't you hit me? Stab that spear into me right now! You're holding it so closely to you that it looks like you need protection! Why don't we fight right now, you and me, one-on-one? Let me see exactly how you Careers work!''

Tentatively, she lets go of my shirt and shoves me away, again, but I grab her spear and rip it free from her hands. ''Oh, did you lose something?'' I ask. She growls and steps forward, but Zeppelin tugs on her shirt and shakes his head.

It's like he controls her or something, like he has authority over her. She's so unstable that it's unreal, but even without him, she's trying so hard to hold herself back. I toss her spear away and she goes to get it, but I kick it away. ''How disrespectful of me.''

Her fist goes flying through the air, but she quickly stops when she comes to her senses and holds herself back. I toss the knife in my hand right at her, and she quickly catches it in between her index and middle finger. ''What do you want?''

''I want in.''

''In on what, the Careers?'' Atlas asks.

''No shit, smartass. You think I'm gonna settle with these other tributes and waste my time with them?''

''You could.''

''But I won't.''

Four laughs as he walks forward, his face cold and stony with no emotion. ''You want in, fine?'' The others stare at him in shock, and begin complaining. ''Hey, shut up!'' He demands. ''Give him a chance. We don't even know what he's worth yet.'' He turns back to me and tilts his head as he holds his weapon. ''Show us what you got, kid.''

A large grin is plastered on my face, and I force my knife out of Four's hand. She eyes me, and I step on her spear, as I walk towards a dummy.

''Oh, I'll show you what I got.''

Bree Andersson, District Six

''Bree, where are you going?'' Poet's been following me everywhere I've been, trying way too hard to make sure that I'm alright. He reaches out to grab my hand, and I look back at him. ''Tell me what's going through your mind.''

Sighing, I speak up. ''I'm going to a survival station. It's just that... I really want to survive, and this will help. There's nothing wrong, if that's what you're actually wondering. You don't have to follow me to make sure that I'm okay anymore, okay? You can leave me alone now.''

Turning back, I spot a trainer sitting behind his station, tapping his fingers on the desk to create a musical rhythm that fills his boredom. Since it's empty over there, it's obviously the right place to start off, then move on to weapons – only after I get the hang of things, though.

''Well...'' Poet quietly groans. ''Maybe I don't want to leave you alone.'' He sighs, then steps forward. ''You just seem so distant, and I don't like that. I want to be friends with you, and by friends, I mean that I want to be allies with you, too, and constantly be around. I hope you don't find that weird, I just want to make sure that you always have someone to lean on...''

If I was ignorant, I would suspect him of trying to trick me, but the kid is too adorable. He's actually being genuine, and it's so hard for me to believe that someone can actually be this nice. The kid doesn't deserve to be here.

Nodding my head, I grin and say, ''Okay... I-I'm fine with that.'' Joy is spread across his face, and the expression that he holds is something that would make your entire day. ''So, you coming with me to this plant station or not?''

I take off walking, and he trails right behind me. When we reach the station, the trainer has his head held down to his lap. ''Hello,'' I say. ''These look interesting, wouldn't you say?''

There are roots, berries, plants, twigs, and herbs scattered across the table. Looking up, the man sighs a breathe of relief, like we're his saviors or something. ''Hi.'' He nods at Poet and begins putting on plastic gloves. ''You came here because you'd like to learn about these plants, I would hope.''

''No, we came here to have a friendly conversation with you because we have nothing better to do with our time,'' I smile, shrugging. He gives a curt nod, catching my drift, and decides to speak up against my sarcasm.

''You could be a tad bit less extreme on the sarcasm, but that's fine.'' He stands up and alters the order of the plants, then starts again. ''What would you like to learn about?''

''Just give me everything that you can, please,'' I say. ''Whatever way you want to, I don't mind how you introduce all of this to us.''

''So he's with you, too? Okay.'' Poet smiles, looking incredibly happy to be around me, and it's honestly so sweet. It's so hard for me to imagine him in an Arena... ''Do you know what this is?''

''No, sir,'' I respond.

''See this?'' He holds up a beautiful herb. ''This is called Foxglove, also known as dead man's bells, and it's something that you want to stay away from. You can recognize this plant just by its beauty, with the long green spikes and tube-like purple flowers that it consists of. Some people have mistaken it for something that's edible, but it is not. No matter what things might come down to, do NOT touch this plant. It should never be used for internal uses or consumption.''

Eyeing the plant carefully, I implant the memory of its beauty in my mind to make sure that I don't forget it. Poet, on the other hand, seems unsure of himself.

''But I've seen a lot of plants that looked like that back in Six, and people used to eat them all the time when food became scarce; nothing happened to them, though, so I'm confused...''

The trainer shrugs, leaving his leader role empty. I sigh and begin thinking. How would he be able to distinguish the plants, besides by ignoring the plant and not touching it at all? Looking closer, I see something that the trainer didn't point out. ''Wait, look inside of the plant,'' I instruct. ''Do you see those yellow and white beads?'' Poet shakes his head. ''Look closer. Did the plants in Six have those?''

''No, I don't think so!'' He takes a closer look and comes to a conclusion. ''They didn't! Thanks, Bree.''

''No problem.''

''You're like a natural-born leader,'' he says. ''Like, you've shown so much care and interest in things, and you've taken over so many different circumstances. You're prepared for all of this mentally and physically, and it's impressive.''

''Thanks,'' I smile.

''Now this,'' the trainer carefully takes out a purple flower, holding it cautiously, ''is Wolfsbane. This plant, unlike Foxglove—''

''Hello. You guys learn anything fun?'' Kaster, the boy from yesterday, calls out as he takes a stand next to me. ''Remember me?''

''I believe so, and yes,'' I smile at him, raising my eyebrows. ''I remember you, Kaster. Nice to see you again.''

''Nice to see you, too,'' he says, then waves at Poet. ''Mind if I stay and learn a couple of things with you guys?'' He looks at the trainer, and the trainer looks at me.

''Go ahead, kid,'' he says. ''As I was saying, Wolfsbane is extremely deadly. Foxglove is cake compared to this, which is—''

''Hey, that looks extremely familiar,'' Kaster says. ''It reminds me of the orchids back in Eleven. They have so many similarities when it comes to looks.'' He brings his hand forward to touch, but all three of us grow startled when the trainer slaps Kaster's hand away.

''Don't touch that!'' he hisses. ''It is similar to the orchids in your District in terms of looks, but it is not similar to them at all in any other way. This plant will kill you if you do so much as rub it against your skin externally. No matter how small the touch, it will slow down your pulse and can be used as a drug to make sure that you're sedative.''

''So it makes us sleep, so what?''

''No, there's more to that, right?'' I look at Kaster, then at Poet, and ask the trainer. ''See, there's obviously something wrong with this drug. It might make you feel sleepy and comfortable and relieve stress, but there's a catch to it. Just touching it could kill you, so imagine what consuming it could do. I feel as though with that touch, it takes a few seconds, or minutes, to feel the effects of death. But consuming it... that takes hours, right?'' The trainer nods his head. ''And you don't wake up when you do fall asleep. You die in your sleep.''

''Correct,'' the trainer says. ''Looks like you've gotten the hang of this.''

''Of course I have. I'm amazingly good at this and could lead an alliance all on my own with my intelligence if I wanted to.''

''Whoa there, that confidence of yours is good, but don't let it control you,'' the trainer heeds. ''You might become a complicated person and people most likely won't appreciate that.''

''But there's a lot to appreciate,'' I groan. ''If I'm leading a team, then they should be appreciative of how hardworking I'm willing to be for them. They could learn to listen and just realize how well I am for them, and understand that my way is the right way to go.''

''Headstrong, are we now? That's usually a good thing, but it's a bit over-the-top for you.''

''Excuse m—?''

''Hey,'' Kaster interrupts. ''Teach me about that, please.'' He points to another beautiful plant, but this one is at the end of the table, away from everything else.

The trainer smiles, looking ambitious. ''I was going to save that one for last, but it wouldn't hurt to teach you about it early on.'' He picks up the plant and brings it back, and the first thing that catches my senses is the smell; it's so ambrosial.

''This one is Henbane.'' The man tries to keep it away from us, and begins explaining why. ''See, this plant is something else. It's effective in many ways, but its main use is to cause hallucinations. This works when the victim is exposed to the smell, and it can't just be from a few feet away, it has to be up in their face. The hallucinations tend to be ones of flying, and many people become frightened by the sight of being way high up in the air and freak out, which causes them to hurt themselves. Stay away from this.''

''Interesting,'' Kaster holds his chin, leaning against the table. ''And that? All the way over there, the holographic root thing... Why is everything else concrete and real, but that's just fake?''

''That is the Mandrake Root, and it will annihilate you if you ever see it growing from the ground. What it is, exactly, is a poisonous herb that belongs to the nightshade family. It contains a couple of chemical constituents that have certain effects on the human body, including hypnosis.'' Poet, Kaster, and I all glance at each other, our eyes widened in shock. ''The worst thing about this plant is that it's living. If it is dug up from the ground, it would scream so loud and horrifyingly that it would pierce the ears of all who hear it – and that resulted in killing them.''

''How do you escape it, or... get away and avoid it? I'm saying, like, is there any possible way to survive if it is dug up and you see it? Could holding your hands pressed against your ears work, or is that useless?''

''The best advice that I can give you is to run.'' The trainer leans his elbow against the table and says, ''These, and this is all I can tell you, are four of the main plants that you'd want to be aware of. For more basic plants and other types of poison, go to the trainers to the left of me. But, let's have a little recap. The two of you seem to know your information due to your frequent questions and understanding,'' he points to Kaster and I. ''But you, tell me which plants are which.''

Poet mumbles, and mistakes Foxglove with Henbane, and the trainer gets upset. ''See that right there? I have an animosity for stupidity and people who don't pay attention. If you were confused, why didn't you speak up?! I hate tributes like you, who waste peoples' times. And you wonder why they all die so early!''

''Hey, leave him alone!'' I slam both my hands against the table. ''He's just unsure, you don't have to be so rude about it! You're here to help him, aren't you? Don't be so unfriendly to a tribute who needs help and isn't a quick learner like the rest of us might be. You make him sound like he's impaired or something!''

'' Maybe he is.'' The trainer crosses his arms over his chest and scoffs. I wanted to do something when he said being headstrong was over-the-top for me, but I didn't. I wanted to gain revenge for him talking down on me like that, but now I really have a reason to do something after he's insulted Poet.

I grab the Henbane from the table and lean in forward, rubbing it against the face of the trainer, and watch as his eyes go dull and his entire body language goes from controlled to confused and scared.

Kaster gazes at me, his eyes wide open and mouth agape, and I chuckle shyly, placing the Henbane back on the table. ''Hey,'' I try to drift away from what just happened, but I notice Poet's mouth agape as well. ''You came over here for a reason, right? What was it? Before learning, I mean...''

''I was just going to ask if you wanted to be allies, since we seemed to get along quite well yesterday,'' he looks back at the trainer. ''You're smart and seem capable of handling yourself, and I just thought it would be cool if you and I could ally. I just think we could work well together.''

''Oh. To tell you the truth, I think we could work well together, too, and maybe take it all the way,'' I agree. ''You knew how to work the crowd yesterday, so I'm sure that you know how to manage yourself.''

We both share a moment of laughter, but then I remember Poet's with me, and I abruptly stop laughing before Kaster does. His laugh faints, and when he looks up, he sees me biting down on my lip.

''Is something wrong?''

''No, it's just that I promised to ally with Poet here,'' I point. ''I don't know if you'd be willing to work with us, so I'm—''

''Of course I'd be willing to work with the both of you together. It would be fun to get to know the two of you better, especially him, and I know that I won't have a problem with either of you.''

I genuinely smile, but then all three of us turn around after hearing the trainer groaning and quietly gasping. Kaster looks back at me, making eye-contact, and I blush.

''Guess you should also know that I'm a lot to handle...''

Zeppelin Cross, District Four

Everyone else has gone to do their own thing, while Atlas and I stay to watch this kid introduce himself.

He raises the knife above his head, and with a cry, he shoves it down into the crook of the dummy's neck. Ripping it out, he decides to slash it across its chest, and a waterfall of fake blood pours from the open wound. I notice Atlas glancing at me from the corner of my eye, but I still stare forward, holding onto my quarterstaff.

Hack, hack, hack. That's all that I suppose is going through his mind, since he has no tactic whatsoever. He forcefully slams the hilt of his knife into the dummy's temple, then grabs it and places it in a headlock and slams the sharp edge of the knife into its skull.

Panting, the kid throws him onto the floor and wipes away the sweat from his forehead. ''Did you guys like that?'' he asks. ''Just like your type always do in the Games, roughly and brutally and unhesitantly, am I right?''

Staring straight into his eyes, I begin thinking about how much of a purpose he could be to the Careers.

''You're approving of this?'' Atlas leans in and asks me, his eyes narrowed. I shrug my shoulders. ''What's up with you and wanting to give people chances? Is this really that interesting? All he did was hack away at the cloth.''

Turning my head, I glare at Atlas and keep quiet. He holds his hands up and smiles at me. Charming. The thing with this kid is that he's wild, yeah, but he's not someone to be taken lightly. Obviously there's something wrong with him in the head, but there are always tributes like him in the Games.

And they all do well, surprisingly. You'd think a psychopath would be the one tribute that everyone would be aiming to kill, but everyone avoids them and tend to give up whenever they're cornered. ''What's your name, kid?'' I speak up.

''Avery. Avery Billings,'' he says.

Turning around, I grab a tight hold of my quarterstaff and begin walking away. Atlas follows right after me, although I don't know why.

''What's up with you?'' he wonders. I arch an eyebrow. ''I'm just asking. You're the only one willing to give him a chance, but why? You owe us – actually, me – an explanation, since I'm the only one who stood there with you, don't you think?''

''I never asked you to stick with me,'' I bite, tilting my head to the right in order to look mean. ''Besides, you guys might not like him, and I sure as hell don't like him, but Careers always look for the best people to add to the alliance, and he seems fairly capable of helping out the pack.

''Who died and made you leader, huh?'' he asks. ''And, how do you find him capable of helping us out? The kid looks like the type to kill all of us in our sleep.''

''I never said I was leader. Every Career has the option to do as they please, and I wanted to go out and scout early on.''

''Okay, but you still didn't answer the second part of my question.''

''You say that, but doesn't every Career think like that?'' I say, offering him a poker face. ''You know just as well as I do that one of us is gonna be willing to betray the pack sooner or later, so why single him out? You might be thinking about killing us all right now, for all I know.''

Atlas keeps quiet, and I brandish my quarterstaff over his cheek, just to send a message. Sorry for being rude, I want to say, but I can't keep talking to him, or making any sort of interaction with him. He just looks and acts like the type of person that would be easily let in by everyone, and I can't have that.

Forming a bond or a friendship or whatever with him would be the wrong thing to do. I'm just afraid, that maybe – just maybe – if we grow a connection and he gets hurt or something, I'll have to take care of him and show kindness. And that's the exact opposite of what I want to do. I have to stay icy and show them all that I'm not someone to mess with.

To win the Hunger Games is the reason why I Volunteered, because it's all that I have left – it's my ultimate dream, the only thing that keeps me going each and everyday. As I keep walking forward, setting my sights on the battle stations, I stare down at my hands and wonder how much longer I can keep up this façade.

''Zepp, wait,'' I hear Atlas' voice call out. I turn around, suspiciously staring at him. ''Just wondering where you were going. I just thought I'd come along, y'know, since getting to know each other would be beneficial to our alliance.''

Sighing, while shaking on the inside, I answer, ''To the close-ranged weapon station, or the battle station, I guess you would call it. And no, you can find someone else from the alliance to talk to. Why not your District Partner, for example? Or mine.''

Scoffing, Atlas laughs. ''Well, I've already spoken to Sigrid, and I don't really like the idea of speaking to your District Partner. Plus, I'm not sure where they are, anyway.''

''Well, you could always talk to the Ones.''

We both turn around at the same time and see Adonis and Blush sitting down on one of the lunch tables, speaking and laughing as they point at imbecilic tributes who struggle to work with their weapons.

''They look like they don't want to be disturbed,'' he replies. ''Besides, even if I did want to talk to one of the other two, they're both most likely busy and don't want anyone interfering their work.''

''Well, then,'' I sigh, trying to avoid eye-contact.

''Lemme ask you something,'' he grabs my attention. ''Are you really up with this whole wait for the training scores thing to decide the leader? I mean, how is that going to work? We need someone to start talking strategy with us during this time that we have now, not a day or two before we go into the Arena. And, well, I don't mind who's leading, but don't you have any—''

If we were in another situation, I wouldn't mind this conversation, but I do here – I have to. Cocking my head to side to convey a look of nothing but utter disinterest, I interrupt his speaking and say, ''Listen, I don't have time for this. You've got something better to do, and I do as well, so go on and do your own thing.''

I arrive to the close-ranged station, and stand in front of the trainer, who stares down at the quarterstaff in my hand. ''Ah, back again. I thought you weren't interested in anything here and just wanted to hold onto that weapon.''

I simply shrug and watch her facial expressions. ''Hey, you,'' she points at Atlas. ''Did you need something, too, kid? I've been watching you for a while now, and you seem like there's so much you want to do.''

''Well, what could you offer me, honey?'' Atlas winks, resting his arm on the table counter. The trainer giggles, and places her hand on his bicep.

''Aren't you just a breathe of fresh air?'' she smiles. ''Take a look, there are close-ranged weapons all around, and since you're here, I'm assuming that you're an up close and personal type of fighter. What weapon do you specify in?''

''I'd appreciate it if you could hand me a katana.'' The woman hands Atlas his weapon, and he takes hold of it gracefully. It's obvious that he's definitely proficient with this weapon. He turns, looks at me, and chuckles. ''How does this work?''

''I don't know,'' I reply. ''Why don't you ask the trainer that's right in front of you? She works at this station, not me.''

''Wow, what an amicable person you are,'' she says sarcastically. I can't help suppress a derisive smile from forming itself on my face. ''Anyway,'' she says, turning to Atlas, ''what happens here is that you can choose from three options: either you spar with me, practice on the dummies, or choose to fight holograms.''

''I couldn't possibly spar with a beautiful lady like yourself, and I sure don't want to get castigated for it either,'' he drawls. ''And dummies are pretty boring, so let's go with the holograms. Unless... you want to go first, Zepp?''

I wave my hand, passing away his act of friendliness. He simply nods and enters the door that the woman has opened for him to pass by through. He stands straight, poising the katana in his hand, and flashes a sparkling grin at the lady, letting her know that he's ready to start the segment.

After staring, she turns to me and taps on my chest. I ignore her act and stare at Atlas, watching as he raises his katana above his head and swings at a hologram, decapitating it. ''This looks too easy for him, you should put it on Career difficulty.''

''It is on Career difficulty,'' she states. This takes me back, but I hold my position and stare at the boy, realizing how comparable he is to a Victor. ''What's up with you, kid? This obviously isn't the real you, with that whole fake trying-to-be-hard exterior of yours.''

My heart skips a beat, and I feel my body beginning to overheat.

''What are you talking about?'' I glance at her, gripping my weapon tighter. Looking down, I notice how white my knuckles are turning due to grasping the quarterstaff.

''Oh, come on, kid!'' She places her fists on her hips and scoffs. ''You think I haven't seen it before? I've worked here for seven years, and each and every year there's a tribute exactly like you. Always that comely-looking boy who has the tough personality, but nothing good ever ends up happening for him.''

Masking my feelings on the inside, I keep my face in a stony expression and try to stir something up, displaying disingenuous placation in the form of my body language. ''You're talking about Atlas, because I don't think you're referring to me?''

''Cut the shit, Zepp, you know you're smarter than that, and you know I'm right,'' she shakes her head. ''You're acting this way because it's how you're expected to act, the rough and fearless Career who does anything he can to win. There are tributes who have come and gone just like you. Don't be a repeat.''

I press my tongue against my cheek, trying to maintain my jaw from going slack. ''Whatever you say,'' I shrug.

''Don't be like that,'' she groans, flailing her hands up in the air. She turns her head and observes Atlas stabbing his katana into one of the holograms' chest, and elbowing the other one in the jaw as he rips the weapon out and slices the other one's throat. ''You see him? He's got something going – he's handsome, prepared, and has the personality that Capitolites are looking for.''

''And?'' I raise an eyebrow.

''And you, you have the personality that the Gamemakers love; not what the Capitol loves. The Gamemakers will keep you alive, but the Capitol won't benefit you with that unfriendly personality that you possess. They want someone who can hype up the crowd, not be boring and kill with no emotion.''

But I do have emotion...

''What you need to do is take charge, and stop faking everything,'' she shouts, slapping my elbow. ''Do something incredible, like become the Pack Leader! You think that you're hiding your true identity or something by being mean, but it's conspicuous that you're not really like this. You're not as fraudulent as you think you are.''

''If you don't know me, bitch, don't tell me how to work the Games.'' I growl.

''And there it is, the personality again!'' she cheers. ''See, what you should be doing is taking control and showing authority! Instead of wasting your time only trying to fight and show off how good you are, you should be looking for things that will help you in the Arena. You have the fighting down, I believe, so add more things to your skill-set. Stop faking it, Zepp. Just come out of the closet already.''

''What the fuck.''

''Kidding, kidding,'' she chuckles nervously. ''But you understand what I'm saying. You know just as well as I do that this isn't gonna last forever.'' She leans in close to me – uncomfortably close. ''And when it's all over, you're gonna regret that you didn't change sooner.''

''Shut up, why are you even helping me in the first place? I thought you weren't allowed to give the tributes advice.''

''So?'' she laughs. ''Who's gonna catch me? Or is someone gonna overhear this and go snitch on me? It doesn't matter, I'm just giving you a few pointers.''

A timer beeps, and Atlas' obstacle has finished. He waits for the trainer to go open up the door for him, but before she does, she smirks at me flirtatiously.

''Besides, you District Four boys tend to be my favorite tributes. And if I can say anything to make sure that another one doesn't go down early, I'll say as much as I can.''

A/N: Ayeeeee! So here's another update, and I honestly don't have much to say this chapter. Kinda busy, gotta go finish shit up, so quick A/N. Here are a couple of questions!

Thoughts on each POV?

Favorite and least favorite POV?

What would be your strategy for the first training day?

Which tribute in this chapter resembles your reaction (if you'd have to take a guess) would be during this time?

Anyway, yeah, that's all. If I fucked up your tribute, like usual, let me know. And sorry if there are mistakes, I half-assed rereading this chapter and was very lazy, as you can possibly tell. And if you're confused, yes, alliances were made this chapter. I'll continue updating the blog with each alliance/death that occurs, so keep an eye out on that. So yeah, that's all for now. See you guys next chapter, and thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed. Bye! ^-^