Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
The next morning…
Thalia's POV
I watch intently as an older looking lady injects a tracking device into my arm, which blinks twice from inside my arm. The lady moves onto Peeta, who hasn't said anything since I've seen him. He looks nervous, his face ridden of color. I wonder if that's what I look like right now.
The tributes and I are all gathered in a large helicopter as we wait to be taken to the arena where the majority of us will die. Percy and Annabeth are seated not too far away from me, and Luke sits next to Annabeth. Annabeth is visibly uncomfortable with this, but Percy has a protective arm around her waist. Katniss and Peeta sit next to me on my right, and Nico on my left.
With a jolt, the helicopter rises into the air and begins its travel to the arena.
Annabeth's POV
I stand in front of the tube that will rise me into the air and deposit me in the arena. Standing here now, I realize how much I've been doubting myself. Yes, I knew that this wouldn't be easy- at all. But you never really know what you're facing until you're facing it. Right now, I'd rather face a hydra. At least it'd be something I'm familiar with. This arena- this world- is beyond unfamiliar. Anything could happen, and I wouldn't be able to expect it like I would with a monster. This is a brand new experience.
"Launch will begin in ten seconds, all tributes must be in their designated tubes in ten seconds," A voice over the speakers announces.
Taking a deep breath, I step into the tube and look up. All I see is a cloudless, blue sky.
Ten seconds later, I begin to lift into the air and into the arena. I immediately look around at my surroundings. I'm in a clearing surrounded by forests, and a large Cornucopia filled with weapons is in the center. As the other tributes begin to rise, I try to find any familiar faces.
Nico is five spots away from me, and Katniss and Peeta aren't too far away. Thalia and Percy, though, must be on the other side of the Cornucopia, because I can't find them anywhere. Fortunately, I can't see Luke either.
As the countdown before the Games begins, I position myself in a running stance so I can get to the Cornucopia quickly and get some weapons. Hopefully, I can get a dagger and some throwing knives. Unfortunately, I can see that Clove wants the throwing knives, too.
"Fifteen… fourteen… thirteen…," A robotic voice counts down from above. I glance over at Nico, and I can tell that he's just going to run into the woods and away from the bloodbath that's sure to break out at the Cornucopia.
"Five… four… three… two… one." As the robotic voice announces the last number, a gong is sounded, and everyone begins to run, either to the Cornucopia or woods.
I run towards the Cornucopia, pushing one tribute after another out of my way. I hear tributes running after me, but I don't look back to see who they are.
As I reach the center, I grab a dagger and a pack of throwing knives, but a tribute tackles me before I can leave. I realize that the tribute is Clove, and that she won't show me any mercy- not that I need it. Clove tries to smash my head against the ground, but I manage to get an arm free and punch Clove on the side of the head. She is caught off guard for a second, but recovers and tries to reach for my dagger, but I twist out of her reach.
I roll on top of Clove and attempt to punch her again, but she dodges so my hand hits a rock and begins to bleed. While I'm temporarily distracted, Clove manages to grab my dagger and roll on top of me. She strikes down at my waist, but is knocked over by Nico. The dagger skids away, but I grab before it anyone else can. I stand up, grabbing Nico and beginning to run into the forest and away from Clove, who starts to get back up. She doesn't see which direction we went in, so she can't follow us.
"That was close," Nico says as we trudge through the forest.
"Yeah, it was. Thank you Nico," I say sincerely. If Nico hadn't been there, I could have been dead right now. "Nico, did you know where everyone went?"
"I saw Katniss get something from the Cornucopia and run into the forest. I was going to follow her, but I saw Clove fighting you and decided otherwise. I don't know where Peeta went, but I saw Thalia and Percy fight off some tributes." Nico looks around, "How are we going to find food?"
"We'll kill animals. It shouldn't be too hard to find some of animal in this place," I reply, hoping that what I said was right. It must be- the Gamemakers have to give us some way to find food.
"First thing's first, though," Nico says, "We've got to find out friends. They could be anywhere."
"Then let's go. We'll have to catch up with them sometime."