Jovane Smylithe

Jovane knew she would be sharing a room with Ilenia. They were already in this together. She'd do everything she possibly could to get herself and Granson's little sister out of the arena alive. Now that they weren't on camera anymore – there had been a few at the station – Ilenia was crying again. Jovane curled up on the girl's bed with her and held her. They were like sisters. Even before she and Granson were official, they had been the absolute best of friends, and she and Ilenia had become family. They had an hour still before Lorell had said to be ready for dinner, so Jovane figured Ilenia had time to cry.

"I'm scared," she whimpered after five minutes. Jovane stroked her hair, trying to calm her down.

"I'm scared, too. But when we get to the Capitol, you can't let it show. Granson will be watching, and seeing you scared will make him upset. Stay strong for your brother, okay?" She felt Ilenia nod under her hands. She was silent for a while, and finally Jovane decided that time was getting away from them. She pulled Ilenia upright and told her to go and clean up. She nodded, and went to the bathroom. Jovane went to her own bathroom as well. She didn't plan on bathing, just changing her clothes and trying to smell nice.

When she stepped out of her bathroom, dressed in a white blouse and green pants, she saw Ilenia sitting in front of her mirror, playing with her hair. It was something she did when she was bored. Jovane sat down next to her and let Ilenia pull her hair into a long, sleek, blonde braid that matched her own brunette one. They left the room to go for dinner. Kieran stopped Jovane in the hallway, and she told Ilenia to go on ahead. She wasn't familiar with Kieran, but they had been in the same year in school. He had a serious look on his face.

"Maxwell says there is something he needs to tell us after dinner. Top secret. Only you and I can know. Okay?" Jovane was confused, but agreed to meet with the two guys. All through dinner, while the tributes shot question after question at Amber, the district mentor, Jovane snuck glances at Kieran and Maxwell. Kieran wore the same confused look she did, but Maxwell just looked completely beat down. What was this big secret?

Eticari Dexter

"So why did you volunteer?" asked Amber. When everyone had started cleaning up to go into the main car for the Recaps, she had cornered Eticari. Six hadn't had a volunteer in decades, since before the Rebellion, so her case was very unusual

"I figured it would be better to send someone into the arena that had prepared for it, rather than some kid that would never have survived. I've been training for this since my family died." Amber didn't look too pleased, and Eticari couldn't blame her. She knew of Amber's history. In her games, she was brutally attacked by the remaining Careers, until the point of death. She had been lucky enough to have enough sponsors to send her the supplies needed to heal. But even afterward, she always walked with a limp.

"So, with your 'training', you'll be the one protecting the others, right?" She was trying to get something out of Eticari. She wanted the district to stick together, and Eticari had planned on going solo in the games.

"I…I wasn't planning on having a alliance."

"Then you are being selfish. If two can win this year, why wouldn't you take an ally? It would be the smarter thing…the human thing to do." Amber was angry now, but so was Eticari. Just because she trained for this, and because she though it would be smarter to go alone, she wasn't human anymore? It was a low blow. She knew that Amber would be her lifeline to the sponsors, but she'd work on winning her over later. Right now, she needed to get out of there. She stormed from the room, ignoring the tribute who had sat down with Lorell to watch the Reapings. Luckily, they were only on District Three, and Kariette was watching with them, so Eticari would have the room to herself for a little while. She closed the door behind her, hoping that Amber would be nice enough not to follow her inside, and crawled into bed. She tried to go to sleep, wanting and hoping to be in the Capitol when she woke up.

Kieran Xavier

Kieran hoped this was something that was worth missing the Recaps over. It was invaluable information on the other tributes that was streaming in the other room, and yet Maxwell had called himself and Jovane to learn of some secret. Kieran didn't know Maxwell too well, but he knew his brother. Jovane must have bee a friend of Maxwell's. Once she came into the room, Kieran told him to get on with it.

"Sorry I'm late, what's going on, Max?" asked Jovane. He didn't respond. He just hung his head guiltily. What had he done? "Max? Maxwell?" She said again, trying to get a response out of him. "Can you tell us what's wrong, Maxwell?"

"Maxwell's not here." He blurted out, still staring at the carpet. Kieran was confused. Was he alright?

"What do you mean? You're standing right here. Do you mean, not here mentally?"

"No. Physically, Maxwell is sitting at home in Six." The realization hit Kieran like a brick. He saw the shock register on Jovane's face as well.

"Mitchell?" she asked, and he shook his head yes. Kieran was horrified. No wonder he'd been friendlier to Kieran than usual, and why he seemed spaced put when someone called him. He wasn't Maxwell.

"You know that if the Capitol figures out what you did, you'll die, right? And so will Max and your mother." Mitchell looked up, finally, and stared at Kieran with anger.

"Of course I know that, which is why I asked you guys not to tell anyone else. I couldn't keep this a secret the whole way through. I don't expect to be going home, but I am stronger than my brother, so I figured I'd have a better chance at winning than he did."

"Why didn't you just volunteer?" asked Jovane.

"My mother would have tried to stop me. She can't beat the Reaping, but she told us when we were younger, that if either of us ever tried to volunteer, she'd drag us home before we could get to the stage. My mother can be very scary for a tiny woman." Kieran couldn't help but laugh a little.

"You're scared of your mother?"

"Yes, and if you knew her, you wouldn't be one to misbehave, either." He had a point. Kieran never knew either of the brothers to stick a toe out of line. Then he thought of something.

"If…if you lose, won't that mean Maxwell will have to pretend to be you for good?" He saw it register in Mitchell's head, and watched his shoulders slump. He hadn't thought of that part.

"All the more reason to win, right?" he said calmly.

Maxwell 'Mitchell' Descosne

Mitchell felt awful. He hadn't thought about what would happen to his brother if he didn't come home. He'd have to give up his life permanently and live as if he was his brother. Maxwell loved music; Mitchell felt it was a waste of time. How could his brother simply give that up. And Maxwell had a girlfriend. Would he tell her what had happened, or just let her go? It would look bad for her if the moment her 'boyfriend' died in the arena, she switched to his brother. He wouldn't expect it to last for them. Realizing this gave Mitchell the motivation to train his ass off and win the games. He'd ally with whoever possible just to make sure that he won. He had been good friends with Kieran back in Six, but if he got in Mitchell's way of winning, he wouldn't think twice about taking him out. Things were different now.

Kieran was back in the main car, watching the Reapings with Amber, Lorell, and the other tributes. Mitchell decided to use this time to try and think of his brother's characteristics. He had to act the part in the Capitol, or someone in Six might figure it out. They'd tell a Peacekeeper, who would relay word back to the Capitol. Mitchell would die in the arena, and Max and their mother, Marina, would be executed in the square. He wouldn't have that.

He went out to the main car and asked Lorell for something to write with. A light flicked on in her head, as she jumped from her seat and ran to a cupboard. She pulled out eight small leather-bound books, and passed them out amongst the tributes. Mitchell flipped through it. Blank pages.

"The Capitol has decided to let you take these journals with you. While your in the Capitol, and in the games. They want you to record your strategies and ideas, alliances and all that, so they can review them once the games are over. I think it's a wonderful idea. Oh, you'll need pens." She rushed back to another cupboard and pulled out packages of pens. Mitchell saw that the other tributes looked confused as well, but he wasn't about to saw anything. He took his supplies, and went back to his room to study. This was going to be the most important test he'd ever have to face.

I'll probably remove the previous Author's Note chapter after about another day. But for now, what do you guys think about what went down from District Six? Lots of secrets being revealed. And what is with those journals? Train rides are halfway over, and it is almost time to reach the Capitol. Remember to sponsor and vote in the Poll on my profile. I still need Stylists and Gamemakers, also prep team members. Easy as submitting a name. Thank you guys, for reading and sticking with this incredibly long story. - Sarah