A.N.: TARDISRose: Honestly, that is a beyond brilliant idea. I'm not flattering you, I'm totally serious. I don't know why I didn't think of that! I used some of that here. And, as always, keep the reviews coming!

Enjoy! And if the paragraph about "human empathy" is really fancy language, sorry. It was 10:30 at night and I had just finished The Great Gatsby, which has all sorts of fancy language. I adopted the writing style! I was feeling poetic...I really hope it makes sense!

Chapter 4: Some Worry and Some Punch

I wake up the next morning without help from Grandfather. I get ready and rush to the Training Center. I am greeted by the Gamemakers, who have taken quite a liking to me. I'd be lying if I said the feeling wasn't mutual. I feel horrible about it, because they're practically murderers, but they're nice to me and listen to what I have to say. I'm no better than them, though, because I consented to being a Gamemaker. I was blind. But I did it to save Katniss and Peeta. I did it to save people, which is more than the others can say.

The tributes come in at different times. I watch Rue on the gauntlet. She's agile and light on her feet. Peeta again works with camouflage. Katniss knot-ties, mainly, and makes snares, the latter with which she's awfully talented. Cato cuts heads and limbs off of training dummies. His District partner, Clove, throws knives with deadly accuracy. I fear for The Big Three, as I've commenced to mentally call Rue, Katniss, and Peeta.

"So, Athena," the man with the fantastic mustache, who's name is Jupiter, says. "Tomorrow is Individual Training. Any speculations on how that's going to go?"

"It's the same every year," I reply. "The tributes from One and Two with overshadow the others." To mask my bias, I added, "And District 12 will fail miserably."

He gives me a confused look. "I thought you liked Twelve!"

"I pitied them." It is kind of the truth, I feel sorry for them, but that's not why I want them to win.

"Pity is for the weak, Athena. You must show no mercy. This is the Hunger Games. The District 12 tributes were born to die here."

I feel as if I was stabbed. "Not if I have anything to do with it," I mutter so low not even the nosiest of Gamemakers could hear me. I know I'll have to pick between Katniss, Peeta, and Rue. The harsh reality is, though, that Rue won't last long. Katniss probably will, Peeta might. He may be strong physically, but emotionally, not so much. He seems soft. He won't be able to kill, which is a must to survive here. I've always been a good judge of character. One look into someone's eyes and I can see inside their minds. Katniss seems strong and resilient. She'd probably only kill if she had to, though.

Nonetheless, I can't blame Peeta for his weakness. His weakness is human empathy, which happens to be mine also. I'd not kill either. Of course, I am speaking as an idiotic Capitolite, who will never have to kill. The irony is, though, I am, as a Gamemaker. But, I will try my best not to have anything to do with any of the tributes except The Big Three.

I eat to distract myself. Today we have delicious chocolate chip cookies on the refreshments table, just to name one. I grab some green punch. I eat some of the cookies and drink the punch. A couple minutes later, I start to feel nauseous. I breathe slowly and deeply. Am I really that disturbed by my current situation? I can't take it any longer. I run to the bathroom and vomit. Then it dawns on me. In the Capitol, at parties, there is this punch that you drink that makes you throw up, to make room for more food. I must have grabbed some by mistake. I can't believe we have such a thing, especially using it in front of people from the Districts, where a meal is a rare occasion. I didn't wear my hair up today, so I hold my hair with my left hand. I am left-handed. I vomit a couple times. When everything is out of my system, I gag a couple times, but nothing comes. That's the worst, gagging and nothing coming up. When I'm done, I clean myself up and go make to the Gamemakers' Box. I'm always so cold after I get done throwing up. I'm shivering.

Jupiter gets some of the horrid drink. "Don't drink that," I warn. "It'll make you throw up."

"I know. That's what I want. Let me guess: you got some by mistake?"

I sigh. "Yes. You know, I really do like District 12. I think they have a chance of winning. One of them." Maybe, because I'm who I am, I can convince the Gamemakers to help one of them win.

Jupiter confirms this. "We'll see what we can do to get them out." I thank him.

Again, I catch Katniss staring at me. I think she wonders why a little girl is a Gamemaker. I wish I could tell her. She tells Peeta something and points to me. They both look at me. Pretending I don't see them, I stand up and go get a piece of Groosling.