Back again, me being all inspired and all that jazz... this is the second part of the first day of training! Haha, I've written ahead of myself but not in the actual order: I've already written the bloodbath and I like it exactly how it is right now so it's staying the way it is unless I have a major epiphany but as it stands I'm killing quite a few tributes rather than 3 or so because lets be realistic now ;)

So on with the action...

Iian Trescott, District 6.

Despite my recognition of the Hunger Games importance in regards to politics and oppressing any form of anarchy or rebellion, I can't help but rethink my opinions on the matter. I mean seeing some of these children, like the young girls from 8 or 12, are defenceless and yet we're expected to butcher one another; I blame Dariela for my sudden change of opinions. That girl, so young and innocent and however cliché the sentiment seems: Full of life, yet waiting with her arms open for the cold embrace of death. Something about the sentiment seems wrong and if I were a braver man I would speak out and let my voice be heard but alas here I am, training vigorously with the sole intention of slaughtering the 23 other people here in the lunchroom. Little Dari is talking animatedly about the survival skills she has learnt, still radiating enthusiasm despite the fact that the days are ticking by until she dies and even if I am able to survive the next few weeks what am I meant to do? Be haunted by the faces of the 23 people who died in the arena, forget about Dari and how brave she is to be so young and yet so willing to sacrifice her life just because she isn't willing to compromise her beliefs of pacifism. It astounds me that this has continued for so long, that the Capitol has sanctioned something that tears families apart and on top of that, they actually celebrate this display of violence. And these people are the ones who are deemed to epitomise civility and decorum, a rather strange thought. I just close my eyes, a pointless attempt at trying to clear my mind of these melancholic thoughts.

I have never once declared myself an optimist; I am not fooled by smoke and mirrors that try to make it appear as though everything is so much more 'pleasant' than what it truly is. I see the world in the shades of grey rather than black and white and I've always said that morals can be compromised in an instant, wherever there is good evil always lurks there waiting to exploit innocence. These beliefs of mine have always been the reason why I have been branded a 'loner' back in District 6, why everyone deems me surly and probably the reason for my self inflicted isolation. I can't bear to watch the glimmer of hope vanish from people's eyes, and now I'm being forced into a situation where I will be responsible for making that hope dissipate. How ironic that I always projected the 'lone wolf' image with the sole intention of ensuring that the Capitol has no one they can use against me, well now it seems that I am the tool being used by the Capitol to become responsible for crushing that hope. I close my eyes, what I wouldn't give for silence right now; disappear into my world of solitude. My feet hunger to walk along its familiar pathways through the back streets of District 6, I'm in an unfamiliar place and about to enter an unfamiliar environment and do unfamiliar things and I'm a true realist: I am well aware of the strong likelihood that I'll never be experience familiarity.

I feel bitterness seep through my veins and feel the unfamiliar burn of rage in my chest, my greatest strength as a character is the way I can stand back and view things objectively. Cool, calm and collected but I just cannot apply logic to this situation; I feel a grimace appear on my face as I contemplate what has just happened. The point of the Hunger Games is to create animosity between the Districts of Panem, to ensure they don't unite and lash out at the Capitol: With this manifestation of unity, I am sure that we will all suffer once we step off those podiums. The Capitol won't allow us to get away with something like that, even if it as trivial as applauding one another, we will be made an example of. I rub my eyes and return to stabbing my chicken chasseur with such vigour that it makes my little ally reach over and place a comforting hand on my shoulder; I glance up at Dari and try to force a smile onto my face but it is a lost cause.

"Iian, do not let your anger begin to control you. It would be futile, you need to try and maintain your cool demeanour: Ramona said it was going to be your greatest strength and I will ensure that you utilise that strength. Rage, anger, greed and lust are the Devil's company; I can only advise you to not make their acquaintance. It will cloud your judgement; you've already been forced into a situation that will need you to commit one of the preeminent sins. It says 'Thou shalt not commit murder', but I know that the Lord will forgive you if you are to repent but these feelings. This rage of yours will cloud your judgement and potentially spoil your good heart. Don't let that happen." Despite my earlier failure to smile, I feel a genuine grin spreading on my face as well as a surge of much needed confidence. It astounds me how wise this young girl is, and I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it turned out that Dari was a 40 year old somehow masquerading as a 13 year old tribute in the 62nd Hunger Games.

And however absurd I find the whole concept of religion I send a thank you to whatever may be out there, thanking whatever it is for giving me such a strong companion: Dari's strength doesn't reside in her ability to lift weight, shoot arrows or camouflage herself. It comes down to her faith, her belief in some higher being enables her to walk with her head held high, not scared for what is to come. However much I would like to inform Dari that if there really was a God, why would he let someone as sweet and loving as Dari end up in something as horrific as the Hunger Games; I just can't muster the strength to tell her that and shatter her beliefs that she appears to cling to like a child with their favourite toy in such a difficult time, even the thought of doing such a thing repulses me somehow.

"Thank Dari, I'll try to remember that but it's hard sometimes when I think about everything I could be leaving behind. There are so many questions I want to answer and I know I'll probably never get the chance and it is a hard pill to swallow. But moving on, what are you focussing on this afternoon? I was thinking of trying to learn something about toxicology, it'll be a good way of killing the others without direct confrontation." Dari winces at the casual way I mention death, how flippantly I can insinuate my intentions to kill and it is then that I see her as the 13 year old she is. She looks down at the table and her gentle brown eyes seem to shine with unshed tears and I feel a pang of guilt for being so tactless. She is running her rosary beads through her hands, a contemplative expression on her face before looking up into my own dark brown eyes.

"Iian, you can't give up hope. If you have a little faith, miracles do happen. You can do this and I know that you will repent, and I know Our Lord will forgive you for any sin you commit because this is not what you truly desire. You're a good man Iian, don't ever give up. I have faith in you, so why not have any faith in yourself? Now, let us not worry about this any longer. We may only have a few days afforded to us, so we may as well try and enjoy every moment until then. Including the great food of course seeing as we only have a few minutes left before its back to training, and in regards to your question I think I'm going to learn to tie a few knots or learn how to camouflage something." The twinkle has returned to her eyes and I can't help but realise that we're like fire and ice, whereas I dwell on everything and tend to see the bad in things; Dari never fails to put a positive, albeit inspired by religion, spin onto any situation and I suppose their is truth in her words. However much I would like to be the master of my own fate, the fact is that my fate is now in the hands of the Gamemakers and whatever happens I need to learn to simply accept it. But what strikes me from Dari's rambling is that if I never find the answer to questions, whether it is something specific like my mother's sudden disappearance off the face of the planet or even something philosophical like the meaning of life, maybe I was never meant to know the answers in the first place.

"Yeah Dari, once again I'm going to ask: how did you get so smart?" Dari's thin lips curl at the edges in a bemused smile at what has become a standing joke between us; before shrugging her shoulders eliciting a rare chuckle from myself. Great that I am finally deciding to try and actually socialise with the threat of death hanging over my head. I blame Dari and her annoying habit of making me talk even when I'd rather be left alone with my sombre thoughts and lick my wounds like a dog in some far away corner.

Fiona Harkin, District 9.

The best part of today so far has been the food, everything else has been abysmal although even such a strong word as that doesn't really express how completely diabolical this training fiasco has been. I knew that I should have just stayed in bed but our bitch of an Escort was adamant that I attend; it's just so frustrating because it is all just completely useless. Unless they fix this leg of mine, I am screwed and there is no other way of putting it; I am guaranteed what will most likely be an excruciatingly painful death, where the pain will last hours at the hands of some twisted career so don't mind me if I can't smile and laugh like some of these other tributes. I mean, why on Earth would you applaud a boy who has just demonstrated how he can kill you in about fifty different ways with his bare hands while wearing a smile as wide as the Atlantic Ocean? I swear, I may as well just jump off that plate before the gong rings, at least my death will be instantaneous but I know I'm too much of a coward to take my own life. Lunch is over now and I'm hobbling back into the training centre.

It is all useless, my 'genius' of a Mentor decided to tell me to practice with ranged weapons seeing as I won't have to directly face my opponents. Yes, that would work if I could get my hands on a bloody bow or something like that, but to do that I'd have to run to the Cornucopia to get one and well I don't think my crippled leg would necessarily agree with sprinting. Mentor? What a bloody joke, the old biddy needs replacing if you ask me. She has lost her marbles and even more worryingly, if by some miracle I can make it past the bloodbath she is the one responsible for sending me sponsor gifts. If anyone is willing to sponsor the 'crippled' tribute, I mean why can't I just throw myself a pity party and stay in bed for the next three days rather than constantly embarrass myself?

Everyone else is already back in the training room and I have to suppress the urge to just scowl at everyone, but I don't because I cannot afford to make myself any more of a target. You see with my ever so crappy leg I may as well be wearing a t-shirt that says: 'Hey, look at me I am crippled. I can't run away, I'm as defenceless as a newborn. Kill me; it's not as if I can do anything about it.' I just fold my arms as I imagine what my parents would be saying about this, scolding me for pitying myself but all I can think is that I'm never going to get the chance to see them again, and you know why? Because of my leg, it's always my legs fault no matter what anyone says. It isn't psychological at all, it is entirely physical: It will be the fact I can't run that'll get me killed as soon as that gong rings not my tendency of blaming everything on my disability. And what pisses me off more even if it is incredibly childish, I am never going to get the chance to stick my tongue out at everyone and tell them all 'I TOLD YOU SO!'. Life sucks and then you die, never were truer words spoken because up till now my life has most definitely sucked and in a few days I'll be getting around to the whole dying part.

It's only then I realise that I've been standing there like a total moron for God knows how long, great just another thing to add to the list: My fellow tributes probably now think that I'm mentally retarded as well as physically, just my luck. At a loss at what to do, I decide to act on my batty mentors order and drag myself over to the archery station which is thankfully empty apart from the training assistant man, yay for me I get some time to wallow in self pity in some semblance of privacy. It takes me about 3 minutes to cross the length of the room and I try to avoid catching anybodies eyes, I know what they're all thinking. 'Oh there's the cripple, at least someone else will die before me.' Or 'So I have a 1 in 23 chance of winning' and I sure as hell won't be looking towards that Ruby girl. She may look like some pretty ditz who trails around after that arrogant berk from 4 filing her nails but I am pretty sure she is as every bit as deadly as her sword wielding/ dancing queen district partner, and it does jack all to make me feel better when I keep noticing that she's staring at me like a piece of meat. An easy kill, just my bloody luck; maybe someone she can torture seeing as I won't be running away too fast.

The trainer just rambles on about holding the bow, pulling string and I can't even summon the energy to look attentive; never mind actually listening and for the first time that day something goes my way when he seems to realise he'd have more luck talking to a brick wall and thankfully leaves me alone. For a while I try shooting arrows and I'm nicely surprised when I find I can actually hit the target and it's quite nice to just get caught up in the rhythm of knocking an arrow, pulling back the string and then sending the arrow soaring through the air and sinking into the target. But I am Fiona Harkin and my bad luck returns when I hear someone snorting behind me, thanks big guy in the sky for not letting me forget that I seem to have the worst possible luck on the planet.

"Did you know that your doing it completely wrong? It's laughable actually, how pathetic you are. I can only hope that it's me who gets to kill you; I'll have a lot of fun hearing your cries of pain." I round on whichever jerk it is and I find myself toe to toe with the pretty boy from 8, Lyle something or other. I just narrow my eyes; does he think that bothers me? I know I'm going to die so he needs to engage the very few brain cells he seems to possess and come up with a better set of insults. I mean, what is it with boys being complete jerks? First of all there is Aezir and now this fool and people wonder why some women become lesbians? Take one look at the men around you and you'll find your answer. I just narrow my green eyes, staring into his icy blue irises; they seem cold and I don't doubt that he will try and kill me but I'm sure as hell not letting him know that.

"As you can see I am quite literally shaking in my boots, so you can go choke yourself now. Oh yes, and by the way: All I need to hit with an arrow is your over inflated ego, and well it is so big so no matter how 'wrong' I am doing it. I can't miss." I smirk as I see him recoil as if I've slapped him and I find my palm tingling to bitch slap this boy into next week like I did my jerk of a district partner. His eyes are wide in disbelief and I laugh at his expression, what did he expect? To me to lie down and just die, to live up to the stereotype of the weakling. He curls his lip and then steps so we're literally toe to toe and all I want to do is head butt him but I don't think that's a smart move at all, so I reign in my temper even though I feel my hands curling into fists at my sides.

"Look crippled bitch, watch how you're speaking to me. I don't like attitude from someone as lowly as yourself and the more attitude you give me. The more I will make you scream, you'd do well to remember that." Despite the fact that his menacing whisper sends shivers up my spine and makes my heart beat at a million miles per hour I remain as brazen as ever. Even though this boy is threatening my life, you know what I decide to do? Yawn. I see his jaw clench, yes he might be able to beat me to a pulp physically but when it comes to mind games he's about as pathetically crap as my leg.

"Oh ever so sorry Lionel, it's just that I'm so tired of your deluded ramblings. You actually volunteered for this, because you deluded yourself into thinking you could win. Yeah, you could probably kick my arse from here to kingdom come but if you think that you'll be able to top the careers as easily then it seems your head is as crippled as my leg." I can see his jaw clenching and unclenching as he seems to be biting down, he is shaking with pure rage and he can't do a thing about it. He can't do a thing until we're in the arena and if I'm being honest, I think someone else will kill me and I'm going to make sure I keep pushing his buttons over the next couple of days while I'm still relatively safe.

"You don't know a thing about me, and I seriously advise you to watch your back. I'm not the forgiving kind but let me show you how somebody who isn't a complete invalid shoots an arrow. Imagine the arrow ripping through your flesh; I will make you cry out for help, even though it will never come. Nobody can help you: Not your Mom, Dad, Siblings, Friends. Nobody" Before I can register what he has said he snatches up a bow and arrow and sent an arrow sailing into the target and he hits the bulls eye, but right now I feel as though I'm a bull seeing red. Say what you want about me but leave my family out of it, moaning about them or slagging them off is only something I can do. It doesn't even seem important but I am really at my wits end with this arrogant twat, with these Hunger Games and with the shit hole that is my life in general. Consequences be damned for all I care right about now.

I don't know what possesses me but I snatch an arrow and slash it across his face, I hear his groan of pain and I slash again and again until his handsome face is bathed in crimson; to me it seems as if time is frozen as the sharp point of the arrow slices through his flesh like a hot knife through butter and it is so satisfying. I can feel my face twisting into a cruel leer as we crash to the ground when he throws himself at me, I scream as he overpowers me and wraps his calloused hands around my throat and squeezing. His eyes are alight with a manic desire, he wants me dead and he wants it now but that is too bad because I refuse to die right now: I'm stabbing him with the arrow wherever I can but he doesn't seem to notice as he is too engrossed in trying to choke the life from me. It has been a matter of second since I attacked him but the adrenaline currently coursing through my veins makes sure I note every single moment in vivid clarity.

Suddenly I can hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears and my vision swims, my senses seem to be rapidly deteriorating as my heartbeat begins to slow. I drop the arrow as I hear that sounds as if they're coming from a great distance and rapidly becoming quieter and quieter. Lyle's manic laughter, the gleeful sound seems muffled somehow but it doesn't mask his joy as he slowly squeezes the life from me, the vicious glint in his cold blues seems to shine oh so much brighter as his broad lips and high cheek bones seem to escape my focus; the screams of tributes and the cries of outrage and then I hear the head trainers screams for him to stop and I think I can hear the trainers running towards us; the soft thud of their training shoes against the cold tiled floors but none of that matters. I am staring into the eyes of a cold blooded killer with no idea if I'm even going to survive. The details are seeming to fade as the excruciating pain seems to dissipate as all sense of feeling flees my frail body and I'm left feeling completely numb, I feel as though I am falling asleep on one of the soft beds here in the Capitol; I think I feel the pressure disappears from my chest but I just can't focus on anything. I am floating and all I can see is a blinding white light for one fleeting second before it all fades to black. Silence reigns.

Yup, a short chapter but I hope you enjoy it! I thought I'd leave you with a cliff hanger and YES the action isn't mind blowing but it does get better/ it was only a few seconds in reality... Let me know your thoughts and REVIEW! Next up is the final chapter for the first day but then the second day will be only 1 chapter or 2 at most!

Stars of the next chapter include: Kai, Leo and Sera. With guest star appearances from most of the others of course ;)

Thanks,

Lawrence...

This chapter was originally longer but I thought I'd cut it off there. Next chapter will be longer and have some more drama... Is it just me that thinks it will be interesting when Ruby and Sera come face to face? And is anybody missing out little alliance from District 3?