Alex Trent's POV

It is quite awkward without Natasha here, leaving me with Hayden, a guy who I barely knew and the three little kids from Eleven and Twelve. It would almost be my turn and then I can finally go back to my room.

I'm startled as Natasha bursts through the door, looking like a complete wreck. Her face is red and tears are streaming down her face.

"It didn't work," she whispers to me. Clearly, her flirting plan wasn't a success, "Whatever effect I had had on the guys was immediately destroyed by that no good MacKenzie. I hate her so much and the games haven't even started."

It seems like there's a tough crowd of Gamemakers this year, if Natasha couldn't even flirt her way through her problems. That always seemed to work back home.

Whenever, Natasha would be caught for stealing, she'd just bat her eyelashes and the whole situation would be forgotten. It wasn't as easy for me. If I was caught, I would go straight to the jail and leave Natasha to bail me out. I was the tough guy, she was the cunning strategist.

"Alex Trent," the voice calls.

"Good luck, bro," Natasha whispers to me as I make my way into the training centre.

As I enter the arena, I go straight for the 'unusual weapons' station, which contains things like whips, nooses, and other weapons I didn't even recognize. I sort through the myriad of strange items until I find it, a sickle.

A sickle is one of the many farming tools that we used back in my home District. Before my mom died, I was trained in this item, not as a weapon, but as a tool. I pick up one that has a short wooden handle and silver semicircle blade and begin wielding it.

It was pretty simple converting it into a weapon, if you are familiar with the tool. I worked with a sickle for most of my life so I am proficient in the art. I press a few multicolored buttons and five dummies roar to life.

The first one is aiming a bow at me and I easily rush over to it and chop its head off. The next one is throwing knives at me, which I dodge as they come flying. I cut of its hands and the knives drop to the floor with a clang.

The third dummy is wielding a sword expertly and blocks the first few attacks from me. However, I easily overcome it and stab it in the chest.

The penultimate automaton then lunges at me, swinging a mace above its head. The weapon crashes down on a table next to me, narrowly missing my hand. I get my revenge by once again, decapitating it.

The final dummy rushes towards me with a battle axe. Before it can even strike at me, it's already missing all of its limbs.

I don't even bother putting the sickle back where it came from, I just let it clatter to the ground loudly. Not looking back, I leave the Training Centre.

Athena May's POV

I sit in my chair, gazing at the clock across the room. The hands have just passed the three o clock mark, meaning I have been here for just over five hour, doing absolutely nothing.

Earlier, I had wanted to talk to Starr about the other night, but I knew that it was going to be too risky with the others in the room. I probably won't ever be able to speak to each other again, unless we meet in the Games, but I really don't want that to happen. I'm just holding onto a slight bit of hope that she won't tell.

"Athena May."

I rise from my chair, trying to appear as weak as possible as I enter the training centre. Feebly walking into the arena, I go straight over to the fighting section and switch on the dummies. I had choreographed my routine to the point where it was flawless.

The dummies switch on and I stand so that the dummy is between me and the Gamemakers. As the dummy raises its arm to punch me. I fake being hit and fall to the ground. Then, the dummy 'kicks' me, but I roll away, making look like I'm being beat up. Then I'm being lifted up in the air and flung across the room. I land on my feet for a brief second and then fling over and land on my back.

Lastly, to make a good show, I burst into tears, clutching my ankle to fake spraining it. It seems that my show worked out perfectly because a peacekeeper came over to me and roughly lifts me up and carries me out of the Training Centre, depositing me on the cold floor of the lobby, tears still pouring down my face.

Hayden Grant's POV

I cringe as Athena is thrown out of the training centre sobbing her eyes out and clutching her ankle. What happened in there that was so bad? Not even waiting for my name to be called, knowing that I am next, I go straight into the Training Arena. I need to know what happened to Athena. Even though I barely know her, I just feel protective of the little girl.

As I enter, the first thing I notice is a powered down dummy laying in the middle of the floor. But other than that, there is no other evidence than that.

Giving up hope on finding out about Athena's injury, I go over to the swords. I select a bright orange sword with fiery designs engraved on the handle. Turning on a couple of dummies, I prepare myself to fight.

The dummies come flying one by one. The first one is felled fairly quickly when I cut off its arm. The second one takes longer, but I eventually stab it in the leg.

The final dummy comes at me with a long spear. I dodge the first few blows, but one strikes me in the shoulder, drawing a little bit of blood. In slight rage, I stab the dummy in the gut and rush out.

Heaven LaFratta's POV

For the past five hours, I've been sitting next to Freaton, daydreaming about James back home. I wonder what he's doing right now, is he thinking about me? What if he found another girl and they are going out? I know that I have to win this so I can go back home to him and we can be together. I'm distracted from my daydreaming as Hayden comes rushing out, bleeding from his right shoulder. Gosh, everyone's coming out hurt or crying. First Natasha, then Athena with her ankle, and now Hayden.

"Heaven LaFratta," My name is called over the speakers. Finally it's my turn, the penultimate tribute. I quickly rush inside, leaving Freaton alone in the lobby.

As I go into the arena, I go over to the station I had trained the most at, memory. I press a few few of the silver buttons on the control panel and a television screen lights up with a memory game, much like the card matching game that I would play with James back at home.

The screen shows a set of different pictures, including plants, animals and weapons. Using my photographic memory, I match all sixty sets in under a minute. Sadly, it doesn't seem like I impressed the Gamemakers that much, since they booted me out after only a minute and a half of being in the arena. But I don't care, I've done what I needed to.

Freaton Gefle's POV

Here I was, left alone yet aga in, just like the past three days. I decided to not go to training, because I just know that it wasn't worth it. I would rather that Heaven win, instead of me.

I'm surprised that Heaven comes out after only two minutes in there. However, she seems pleased with herself.

"Umm, it's your turn," she tells me. Wow, that's the most she's ever said to me. But I know that it will never happen between the two of us. I just get up and walk away, leaving her alone, just like me.

I had never seen the training centre until now, and I am overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the space. I have no clue what weapon I should show. Therefore, I go over to the stereotypical swords.

Because I'm paranoid, I only switch on one dummy. But, when it roars to life, I realize that I forgot to grab a sword. I scramble over to the rack of weapons, trying to grab various swords, but find that all of them are too heavy. With every second the dummy is getting closer to me. I brace myself for impact, but it never comes.

I look up and see that the dummy has been remotely powered down. I see that the head Gamemaker is clutching a remote in her hand.

"We've seen all we need to see."

With that, I'm escorted out in defeat.

A/N

I'm sorry if this chapter seems a little rushed, I'm just really excited to get into the games. The bloodbath will begin in chapter 40! Please leave a review and don't forget to send a sponsor item for your tribute!

Also, there's a really good SYOT that still has open spots! The Odds are in a District's Favor: The 400th Hunger Games by Socially Awkward Wolf. Please send in some tributes!

What did Starr show the Gamemakers?

Thanks!

Angelofmusic4ever