Elya and I enter the train with Croyale, without even looking at each other. I think that the escort can sense the tension, but she seems determined to continue her bubbly, cheerful personality.

She chirps, "Okay, so, take a minute to shower and change clothes. We'll be having dinner at six. Then we get to watch all the recaps!" She squeals with excitement. I hesitate and she pats me on the back. "Don't worry, honey, it'll all be okay." Something in her upbeat voice rings insincere, and I can't help but feel a rising distrust of our escort.

It's hard to like someone whose biggest problem in life is choosing which color lipstick to use.

Jewel Layes, who is both my and Elya's mentor since our district has so few winners, walks into the room. "Honey, are you okay?"

"Yes," I say stoically and stalk into my room. Why is everyone calling me "honey" today? I guess my situation must call for that kind of superficial, useless pity given by those who cannot change anything. I fume for a minute and then look for the shower. I've never taken one before, so the function of all of the knobs and buttons is lost on me. I manage to turn on a steamy jet of water from the nozzle and I stand under it, still in my underwear. Somehow, I just don't trust anybody on this train, and being naked means being vulnerable. Despite the locked door to my room, I just can't bear to strip entirely in this foreign environment.

After I get showered and dressed, it is almost time for dinner. I decide to just go ahead and be early. I get to the table and wait for a few minutes, and Elya shows up. He sits down across from me at the table. We are completely alone together.

"I'm sorry."

I glare at him. "For what?"

"For what I did to you. It was awful, I know." He actually looks legitimately apologetic. I don't relent in my gaze. "I don't want to go into these Games without you knowing the truth."

"Oh, yeah? And why not?"

"We can't both win, obviously. So that means that this is my last chance to tell you that I love you."

I roll my eyes. I can't believe we're doing this again. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that? I fell for it once; I learned my lesson. It's not going to happen again." I can't believe this guy was trying to con me like that. He probably wants to get me to trust him so that he can kill me right away once the Games start. Well, it won't be that easy.

Suddenly, Croyale and Jewel come in. Croyale is bouncing excitedly. Jewel catches my eyes sternly, and says, "Alright, you two. It's time to scope out the competition. Watch each tribute carefully – their immediate reaction to hearing their name, the way they walk up to the platform, and especially their eyes. A coward can hide behind a brave face, but the truth is always in his eyes."

District 1 is shown first. Two 14-year olds are chosen at first, but they are quickly replaced by two volunteers. As soon as I see the girl, Amethyst, the word "evil" surfaces in my mind. I can't place my disquietude exactly – she seems innocent enough. She has beautiful blonde curls, and is wearing a skin-tight dress that shows off her body magnificently. She doesn't look very intelligent, but something about her eyes tells me that she can be deadly.

The District 2 volunteers are typical Careers: muscular, good-looking, and scary. The boy, Bolt, makes me cringe especially. The tributes from District 3 look scared; they both seem to be about 13 or 14 years old. Those from District 4 are indistinguishable from the District 2 tributes.

Oh, god. These Careers look vicious.

There is nobody really remarkable until the girl from 8, Ennie. She smiles when her name is called, and struts up to the platform with a smirk on her face. I remember Jewel's advice and look into her eyes. That image will haunt me forever.

She looks exactly as if she has killed before and can't wait to do it again.

All too quickly, I see my sister on the screen. I hear the crowd scream in outrage. And then I watch myself calmly strut toward the platform, and I can't believe how collected I look. I could pass for a Career. Jewel looks at me, impressed.

"Well, well. Don't you look tough?"

Croyale squeals in agreement. I'm sure she's hoping for me to win so that she can boast about having escorted a victor. Since she's stuck with District 10, she doesn't get those bragging rights often.

I return my gaze to the television. I decide that my angle for this competition will have to be confident and composed. I could almost laugh at the enormous dichotomy between how I feel now and how I looked on the screen. Oh, well. Maybe I'll get some sponsors from it.

I see Elya, who looked equally calm, and then the tributes from District 11 and 12.

Watching these recaps was almost painful for me. I saw all of these faces; beautiful, full of life. And I realized that all but one of them would be dead in just a few weeks. This was too hard for me to take in. How can that be possible? Each tribute is special, unique. If allowed to live, they could become somebody important – the possibilities are endless.

My thoughts are interrupted when President Malan comes onto the screen.

"As you all know, the tributes for the 150th Hunger Games are now selected." I look around, confused. Why is the president addressing Panem to tell us something so obvious?

He continues, "You should also all know that it is time for the sixth Quarter Quell. In previous years, the Capitol used the Quarter Quell to enter more people in the Games. For the 50th Games, 48 tributes were entered. For the 75th, previous victors were entered. This was part of an attempt to show that nobody was safe from suffering the consequences of the rebellion. This year, however, the Capitol has decided to show mercy. Instead of encouraging more murders, we will be discouraging them."

Silence. The entire country is watching, now, in confusion. Croyale looks around, "What is he–"

"Shh!" Jewel said, "Let him finish."

"This year, this new rule will affect the tributes after they enter the arena. The rule states that a tribute may only kill another tribute if they are of different genders. This means that male tributes may only kill females, and vice versa."

Elya speaks up, "Oh, really? And what are you going to do if we break that rule?" Strangely, he seems to be talking to the screen.

The president continues, as if he had heard Elya. "We have equipped the arena so that explosives lay beneath the ground, ready to ignite at our command. If a tribute chooses not to follow this rule, the explosives under this tribute will be set off. So, think carefully before breaking the rules. It won't end well for you."

He finishes speaking about how the Capitol is showing such mercy, and that the tributes should be worshipping their feet in gratitude. I don't see how it matters. I mean, 23 of us will still die, right? What does it matter who kills who?

"One last thing," he concludes. "If at some point, all remaining tributes are of the same gender, the rule will be repealed. If and when this happens, the tributes will not be informed."

Croyale switches the television off. "Well, then. You two had better rest up. We have a big day coming up; you'll get to meet your stylists!"

As soon as I get to my room, I sit down on my bed, thinking. What would this rule mean? Certainly more strategy would be involved now, as opposed to random acts of violence. The bloodbath would be different, since usually everyone just killed whoever they could.

I heard a knock on my door. It was Elya.

"Yes? What do you want?"

"I have an idea for you. Please let me finish before you say anything, okay?"

"I'll try."

He pauses, and appears to decide that this is enough. "I think we should be allies."

I raise my eyebrows but don't say anything.

"It could help us both. Together, we'd be able to kill any tribute that we came across. If you were alone, you couldn't kill any of the girls."

I'm inclined to distrust Elya because of our history together, but his offer sort of makes sense. And it would be nice to have someone on my side in that arena so that I don't go crazy from being alone. Plus I couldn't deny that I still had some residual feelings left for Elya.

"Seriously? Or would I just be getting a sword through the heart and an 'as if'?"

"I promise. I promise I won't let you down, Rienna."

Remembering Jewel's trick, I look in his eyes. All I can see is honesty. I must be crazy, but I believe him.

"Okay. Allies."

AN: Thank you guys for reading this. I have some interesting plans for this new rule. Review! Are the chapters too short? I'd like to make the story better!