Chapter 1

Yeah, so…this is the actual start, cuz I didn't want to write in 1st person. I wanted to try something new. So…yeah…

"Luo Tianyi…from District 2. I gave her shelter on days where it became rainy. I tried to talk her out of coming so often, but her family needed the money. Her family was one of the few poor families in the Career Districts. She always talked about her friend, Uta Utane, who made everyone call her Defoko. The last time I saw Tianyi was two years ago. She told me that was her last trip. She wouldn't be coming anymore. Her friend took her place when the Peacekeepers found out about her trips. Defoko would be turned into an Avox, and it was all her fault."

Piko looked up, only to find Defoko with tears silently rolling down her cheeks. He didn't know if it was for Tianyi or herself. He didn't want to know, either. The way she looked made him want to crawl up in a ball and die; which would most likely happen pretty soon, anyway. He looked over at Aoki, who seemed to be thinking about something. Then he looked at Gakupo. His mouth hung open, looking between Piko and Defoko, suddenly interested in his tributes.

"Well… Disobeying the Capitol is bad and all, but the fact that you know Deffy here—"

"It's Defoko. It's already a nickname." Gakupo was interrupted by Piko, who was suddenly too angry to think. He glared at his mentor, Defoko looking on worriedly. Aoki stepped forward, placing a hand on Gakupo's shoulder.

"Hey, come on. We should all get along. After all, it raises our chances of not dying, right? Anyways, we only have like, 3 days until we get interviewed and start training. We need to plan how we're going to get sponsors, and you, Gakupo, are supposed to help us. So, what are you going to do? Be shamed by District 1 and stay as you are, a pedophile who harasses Avoxes? Or are you going to have some dignity and get us to win the Games?" Aoki's's voice shocked Piko out of his anger. Aoki was mad at Gakupo. The girl that seemed hell bent on winning the games, who would have no hesitation if she and her fellow tribute were the last two standing, was angry because of harassment.

She's fine with killing her fellow tribute, but when some stranger gets harassed, she has to butt in? Piko walked up, getting in between Gakupo and Aoki. We won't get training if Gakupo doesn't want to train us, and he won't want to train us if we get off on the wrong foot. Aoki isn't thinking clearly. She's going to make Gakupo hate us.

"Why should I train you? There's no point. You're like pests. You're too small and weak to win the Games." Gakupo criticized them, pointing his nose into the air like they were trash. Aoki looked like she was about to strangle the purple haired freak, but Piko intervened before anything happened.

"Listen, Gakupo. Think about it. We're two of the weakest and youngest tributes District 1 has ever had. If one of us wins, you, as our mentor, would get the credit for teaching us. Think of how famous you'd be." Piko tried his best to sound persuasive, and it must have worked. Gakupo looked at his tributes and measured them up. Finally, he spoke.

"Fine. Only one of you can win, though. I'll decide which one to train. The other will be fed to the wolves."

"No. That wouldn't work. It might seem like you didn't train either of us, just one of us had more luck or ability. The one who doesn't win has to be close to winning, at least in the top 5. We won't be able to join the Career groups, but if we stick together, we might get sponsors just for being united after the accident." Aoki glanced at Piko, smirking at him as she spoke. She was a lot better at persuasion. Unfortunately, there was a problem, and Gakupo knew it.

"There's only one problem with that. Nobody knows what District 1's accident is. You most likely wouldn't even get sympathy from lower districts if they did know. They'd only compare your short tragedy with their lifelong poverty and sadness."

"Then we'll announce it. We'll announce the accident to the Capitol, at the interviews. We'll make a scene about doing the interview together, to stay united through the Games until the end. At least the Capitol will sympathize. We can easily get sponsors from it." Piko himself was surprised at his ability to think the situation out. His initial reaction when he realized he was going to the Games was terror. He wasn't able to think clearly at all. He almost broke down crying, knowing that there wasn't anyone who would be sad about his demise. But now…he was equal with Aoki in his logical reasoning. Or, reasoning at least. The Games couldn't really be considered logical in Piko's eyes.

"Hmm…that would work, I guess. Ok, fine. Sit down, both of you. You've got a long way to go before you can even get close to winning this thing. And also, I will leave Defoko alone. For now. After all, think about the bad publicity news like that would get me." Defoko went to the kitchen and got tea for everyone, glancing at Aoki and Piko with grateful eyes. Gakupo looked away, making a point not to stare at her, but laughing under his breath.

"You're a sick person, Gakupo," Aoki announced, "but that's what you have to be if you want to win the Games."

Gakupo smirked and looked at Aoki, flipping his long, purple hair out of the way. "Now we're getting somewhere."

Kay, so it's been REALLY long since I've last posted. Next chapter will have the interviews and the announcement of what the mysterious accident in District 1 was! . once I come up with an accident. I'm not good at planning. Or maybe it might just be about the designers. I need to decide on those, too. Sorry!