Calypso was the next tribute to go onstage. She wore a flowing white dress with gold designs on it. "So, how do you feel about going into the Games?" Antaeus asked.

"You're not the first person to have wondered that," Calypso replied, wincing internally at how stupid it sounded.

"Now, now, Miss Aterra, you're evading the question!"

"It was a surprise."

Antaeus laughed. "I'm sure that it was! How do you feel now that you're in the Capitol?"

"It's a beautiful, city, but it can't compare to home."

"Oh, really? What do you do in District Seven?"

"I work as an apothecary."

Antaeus looked at the audience with an overly flabbergasted expression. "What exactly does that entail?"

"I try to heal people in the district. Basically, I'm a doctor."

"Wow! Do you think that'll help you in the Games?"

"Probably."

Calypso thought that the interview wasn't going badly. The questions Antaeus asked her were menial, and she had an answer for all of them. Things got a little shaky when it got to the subject of family, but Calypso gave an anecdote about her mother and avoided the topic of her father completely.

After all, wasn't that easier than facing the truth?

Grover went on after Calypso, feeling shaky. His stylists had given him a weird hat to wear that kept flopping in his eyes. He sat down in the chair next to Antaeus. "So, Grover, we heard your girlfriend calling after you at the Reaping," he said. "Care to tell us about her?"

It almost felt like too personal of a topic. "Her name's Juniper, and she's amazing. Kind, funny, caring, just perfect."

"It sounds like you really love her."

"I do."

Antaeus placed his hand on his heart. "I bet you're really fighting to get home to her, then."

Grover took a deep breath, bracing himself. He had to explain to Juniper why he wasn't going to come home before his body went back to District 7 in a casket. "Actually, I'm not planning on going home," Grover said.

You could hear a pin drop. Grover took this as a sign that he should continue. "I want to protect Calypso. I think that she could do some real good in the district. I want her to make it home. It's the hardest decision I've ever made, and I hope that Juniper understands."

The audience remained silent, and Grover knew in that instant that he had said something wrong. The buzzer rang then, and Grover knew that his time wasn't up yet, it hadn't been three minutes! This was his last chance to say goodbye to Juniper, but he hadn't said enough yet, he had to tell her how much he loved her, there was no going back and he could be dead tomorrow!

Too soon, it was time for Piper to go onstage. The audience was still quiet, but they laughed when Piper tripped on her long bluish dress on her way to the chair. Her hair had been expertly styled into a single braid over her shoulder, and she was wearing enough makeup for all of the tributes. All in all, Piper felt awful. She hated girly stuff. Her mother had always loved it, but then again, she hadn't been the best role model.

"So, Piper! You're the daughter of Tristan Mclean, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am!" Piper said, trying to act enthusiastic. Drew had told her to act like she loved everyone and everything and to show off her looks. "But my mentor is Drew Tanaka, not my dad."

"I'm sure that your dad is glad that you get the chance to compete this year!"

Piper swallowed. "I hope that he is!"

"Do you two have a good relationship?"

"I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to judge that myself."

"Do you spend a lot of time together?"

"…Yes." Piper hoped that her lie hadn't been too obvious.

"I'm sure that he had a lot of helpful pointers for you."

"Yeah! Well, Drew was a big help too."

"Yes, you must know that your mentor is one of the more popular Victors." Piper guessed that the people of the Capitol weren't able to see how vindictive and manipulative her mentor was.

"Are you ready for the Games tomorrow?"

No!

"Yes."

Ethan couldn't see the audience as he walked towards Antaeus, and that made him nervous. He could hear them, but they remained out of his vision. He turned his head. They were grotesque, covered in crazy costumes and paint. They were pointing at him, at his eyepatch. Tristan had told him not to take his eyepatch off, but why should he pay attention to that asshole anyway? He obviously favorited his daughter over Ethan. Ethan lifted his eyepatch slightly, flashing the audience with the sight of his ruined eye.

Antaeus looked a bit disgusted too. Was he going to make Ethan look bad because of that? He was, wasn't he! He was in cahoots with Castor as well! They all were! Ethan hated Castor even more after tonight, volunteering for money! Ethan would have been happy with even a fraction of the money that Castor's family must have had! But Castor couldn't appreciate anything!

"So, how did you get that?" Antaeus asked.

"Street fight," Ethan snarled back.

"Well, you seem like a hostile tribute! Are you ready for the Games?"

"First of all, I'm only as hostile as I need to be, especially when I look at a freak like you. Second of all, I was born ready."

The audience didn't seem to know how to respond to this. Ethan didn't make another noise, just glared mutely forward. Antaeus tried to engage him again, but Ethan ignored him. He could see Tristan, glaring back at him. He could see the begging in Tristan's eyes, asking him to be slightly more of a good little tribute that the Capitol could laugh at. Tristan was just another one of their pawns, just like Castor, just like Hazel, just like Antaeus, just like Alabaster and Atlas and Luke for not volunteering! Tristan would never understand what it was like to be Ethan! He'd never see the horror of the Games for what they truly were, never, never!

Well, maybe he'd understand the horror once Ethan ripped his daughter's guts out.

Lou loved her dress. It had gigantic sleeves and ballooned out around her and made her feel loose and free. Her hair had been styled up into a bun, but it had streaks of green and pink running through it, which Lou loved. The bird in her sleeve pecked her arm, but Lou ignored that.

Poor Antaeus looked freaked out. The last three tributes hadn't been great, Lou could understand that. Ethan had even freaked out her, and that wasn't the easiest thing to do.

"So, Lou Ellen Lerner," Antaeus began. "Tell us about yourself."

Lou smiled at the audience. "Well, I'm from District Nine. I have two sisters, Naomi and Pasiphae. And I like preforming magic tricks."

"Really? That sounds fun. When did you learn that?"

"My sisters taught me how, although they don't have much appreciation for it now. Here, let me show you!" Lou moved her hands around, stroking her sleeve and coaxing the dove to the edge. In one deft movement, she pulled the dove out of "nowhere" and let it fly into the air.

"That's amazing!" said Antaeus. "How did you do that?"

"The hand is quicker than the eye."

"If you had a catchphrase, would that be it?"

Lou laughed. "Yes." She imagined Naomi at home, shaking her head in exasperation. Pasiphae would be watching with her husband and son. She had Lou had never been as close, but Lou liked to imagine that she would have been proud of her for being able to complete that magic trick.

"Well, that's certainly an impressive talent. You said that your sisters taught you? Are you close?"

"Absolutely. Well, Pasiphae is about 10 years older than me, but she was always amazing when I was growing up, and then she got married. Naomi is only two years older than me, and we've always been close, but over the last few years we've gotten our own lives."

"You said that Naomi was two years older? That would make her 17, right? Why didn't she volunteer?"

Lou didn't let this stun her into silence. "I don't know. But I hope that she doesn't get Reaped next year."

"You're a wonderful sister."

"Thanks."

Lou's timer rang. "From District Nine, Lou Ellen Lerner!"

Will went out on stage feeling relatively confident. Lou had done a pretty good job with her interview, though the bird had come as a surprise to him. Antaeus greeted him enthusiastically. "Will Solace, everyone!"

"It's nice to meet you, Antaeus."

"It's great to meet you, Will! Let's get started. How do you feel about your district partner?"

Lou seemed to have made a big splash. "She's my friend. We've actually been friends for a while."

"It must be awful to go into the Games with her, then!"

Will kept back a sarcastic comment: No, it's so much fun! We get to fight each other and hurt each other and maybe kill each other! But instead, Will went with a simpler answer. "Yeah, it kind of stinks."

"Are there any other tributes that have caught your eye?"

Nico from 12 kind of scared him, but at the same time, Will wanted to learn more about him. "They're all pretty nice."

"What a vague answer! Anyone specific?"

"Not really."

"Alright, then! Changing gears. Tell us about your home life."

"I have a twin brother named Austin and an 11-year-old sister named Kayla."

"She'll be Reapable next year! You must be worried."

"Yeah, I worry for her a lot. But she's tough. She'll make it through…" Will trailed off. Make it through what? The Games? His own death?

"What about friends?"

"I have a friend named Cecil. He's great, but don't trust him."

Antaeus laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. So you, him, Austin, and Lou Ellen made up a group, is that right?"

That wasn't right at all. Cecil was friends with both of them, but Lou and he hadn't been that close for a few years, not since she and Austin had started fighting. "Yeah, sure."

"Any girls you're trying to get home to?"

"Well, there's Kayla."

"Aren't you a funny guy! Any girls beside your sister, I mean? A handsome guy like you must have someone."

"Not romantically. I'm friends with girls, but just friends."

Antaeus looked surprised at that, like he wanted to say more, but the buzzer cut him off. "Your boy from Nine, everyone!"

Hazel wore a simple white dress. Her hair had been pushed back, but still hung down. She felt exposed as she walked onto the stage. Mama was watching her now, maybe not in her right mind, but still watching, judging her. So was everyone else in the district. They were ready to ridicule her if she did something wrong. Still, despite the fact that she could die tomorrow, she felt freer than she had been in the schoolroom with all of her peers. What they thought of her didn't matter anymore. It would never matter again.

"Hazel Levesque, you're looking beautiful tonight!" Antaeus told her.

"Thank you," Hazel replied.

"How are you liking the Capitol?"

"It's a beautiful city," said Hazel, trying to be flattering. Her mentor Hecuba had told her to play to the Capitolians' arrogance.

"Yes, but it must be different from District Ten!"

"That's true," Hazel admitted. "District Ten has a lot more open space. Still, this place is just…amazing." She didn't have to fully lie when it came to that. The Capitol was an amazing place no doubt, with its advanced technology and high buildings and statues out everywhere. Still, it could never compare to the way it felt to be on Arion, riding free across the plains.

"Is there anyone that you miss from home?"

"Arion."

"Who's that?"

"My horse."

The audience laughed. Fear bubbled inside of Hazel, but she willed it away. It wasn't that they hated her and wanted to be mean. It was just that she had surprised them.

"He must be an amazing horse for you to miss him!"

"He is." Oh, Arion. Hazel wished that she had her friend here with her. Arion seemed to give her strength.

"What about your family?"

"It's just me and my mother."

"You must miss her."

"I do." Hazel missed the old Marie, the one that had been happy and vibrant and caring. Morphling had stolen Mama's brain, along with her stupid morphling dealer, Terra.

"What about your father?"

Hazel shrugged. "I'm not sure where he is."

The audience made one big noise of sympathy. Antaeus patted her hand. "I'm sorry about that, Hazel. What about friends?"

"I didn't have very many friends."

"I can't imagine that! You're a very sweet young woman. What about a boyfriend?"

All that Hazel could call to memory when it came to boys was Frank, smiling and laughing and looking happy, Frank crying at his mother's death, Frank puzzling over a math problem, Frank looking scared when it came to Arion, Frank being her friend. All of the kids back home always grouped her and Frank together, tried to push them into a relationship, look at the freaks! Don't they go well together? Hazel didn't want to prove them right.

Still, Hazel needed to tell the audience how she felt about Frank, to give them a reason to sponsor her, but she couldn't pull up the courage. What if Frank didn't feel the same way? So many things could go wrong.

"No boyfriend."

"Anyone you've been considering?"

Hazel laughed, the sound hurting her. "Now Antaeus! Why would I tell you that?"

Frank listened to the sound of Hazel's laughter. He was glad that she hadn't said she liked one of those stronger, handsomer boys from home. Still, a part of him wished that she had said she liked him as much as he loved her. He knew that it was a stupid wish. They could both be dead in a week! Still, wasn't that a reason to take advantage of the time offered?

If only they hadn't been Reaped. They could have been safe and happy back home. Frank could've gotten up the courage to tell her and they could have lived a happy life, but no! instead their time was almost up.

Hazel's buzzer sounded, and Frank walked onto stage. His suit didn't look so bad on him, but he still felt self-concious in it. He hated how he allowed himself to feel so flawed just because of his body shape. Still, he couldn't stop himself.

"Frank Zhang, our boy from Ten! Tell us, how do you feel about going into the Games?"

"I—" Frank's voice sounded too high and squeaky. Frank took a breath and tried again. "I'm a bit scared."

Frank could almost hear his mentor Shen groaning. Shen had said that Frank wasn't strong enough to get sponsors, despite his okay training score, and told him to act arrogant. Frank just couldn't do that. Be true to yourself, Grandmother had told him angrily, almost as if she expected him to turn into a liar as soon as he was out of her sight. Remember who you are. Do not shame me.

"Well, that makes sense. There are some mighty scary people out here!"

Namely, the Careers. The girls from 2 and 4 scared Frank, and the guy from 2 just seemed completely unhinged, from what Frank had seen in training. The girl from 1 was just a bully. "I'm not so much worried about individual people as the Games in general."

Frank imagined Grandmother glaring at the TV. Frank, you oaf! she would say. I told you to be honest, not disgrace yourself!

"Do you have a plan?"

Frank opted for a shrug. His heart was racing.

"What do you think about your district partner? She's very nice, from what I can see."

"Hazel and I are friends."

"Oh, another pair of friends in the Games! How long have you two known each other?"

"Years. We were born within weeks of each other, and our mothers were friends. They worked in the same butchery." Frank internally winced, not sure if the people in the Capitol liked the term. Still, weren't the Games the ultimate slaughterhouse?

"Wow! You must be really close, then."

"Yeah. We are." Grandmother would have pursed her lips at this answer. She liked Hazel well enough.

"What about your family? What's your relationship with them?"

"Like Hazel, I'm not sure where my dad is. That's one of the things that our mothers bonded over."

"Are you close to your mother?"

"She died when I was two."

"Oh no! How?"

"In the Games." Frank knew that he shouldn't have let this piece of information slip. It was too private, too personal. Anyone that had a good memory of the last 20 years would know it, but not he had explicitly told the whole world!

"Why, then she must have been, what, seventeen when you were born?"

"Yeah. She had me when she was seventeen, and then got Reaped a year later. I live with my grandmother."

"Poor you! Can you remember anything about your mother?"

Frank's eyes burned, but he refused to cry. It was true that he could barely remember his mother. He only knew her face from photo albums and from watching her Games when the reruns were on. He could remember her earthy smell and a bit of laughter, but that was it. Grandmother never really wanted to talk about her dead daughter Emily Zhang.

"I remember that she loved me."

"Your Grandmother must be feeling terrible."

Frank's buzzer allowed him to flee before he started crying. Yes, Grandmother must have been feeling awful. Her daughter, and now her only grandson, would both perish in the Games.

Katie called upon all of the anger that she could and tried to use it to build something: a wall, a façade, a mask, a face that the Capitol would have like rather than her own fear. She glared at the floor as she walked onto stage, stepping strong.

"Katie Gardner, our volunteer from Eleven!" Antaeus announced. God, what an idiot. I bet that he burns down his house with his perkiness on a weekly basis.

"Yeah, that's me," Katie said. Her mentor had walked out of the room after it became clear that Katie wasn't going to cooperate with her stupid demands for an "interview angle." Pomona had just sighed and said that if it was anger that Katie wanted, they could work with it.

"So, what made you volunteer." What. A. Moron.

"I love my sister. That's all that there is to it."

Somehow, the audience seemed to like this answer. "Yes, you really must be devoted to your sister. Tell us about her."

"Her name is Miranda. She works in the orchards. Her favorite color is orange. She picks wildflower sometimes and puts them in a jar on the table. If she had a choice between flowers and food, sometimes I think that she'd go with the flowers." Not that you losers would know what a choice like that means, you lazy, stupid…ugh!

"Do you two have parents?"

"Of course we have parents!"

"Are they alive?"

"No! It's just me and Miranda!"

"It would be awful if either one of you were to lose the other."

"Well—" Katie clamped her mouth shut. She wasn't going to answer another one of these stupid questions.

"Do you have any plans for the Games?"

"No."

"Any friends that you made among the other tributes?"

Idiots, all of them. "No."

"What about your district partner? Is there anything that you like about him?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"What makes you special?"

What kind of stupid question was that?! Katie shouldn't have to answer idiotic questions made by idiotic people with their stupid outfits and stupid food. "Everyone is special. I'm special just by being me."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

Antaeus laughed. "I look forward to seeing you in the Games, Katie Gardner!"

Connor knew that Katie's interview had been a trainwreck, which he couldn't help but feel some happiness at. She was such a jerk most of the time, it was nice to see her get called out on it for once. Connor prepared himself for his interview. Mentor Luke had told him to act like the perfect foil to Katie. Where she was mean, he would be nice. Where she was angry, he would be happy and peaceful. Honestly, Connor looked forward to this. It would be nice to see if he could put one over the people of the Capitol.

Connor waved out at the audience as he strode on, smiling widely. The cheers, tentative at first, grew. "Hey!" Connor greeted Antaeus, practically bouncing up and down on his seat, grinning.

"Hello, Connor! I must say, your district partner seems a bit rude. What's it been like living with that for the last week?"

Connor took a deep breath. "Well, Katie seems mean, but she's nice on the inside, just like everyone else! I think that she's worried and that's why she acts like a meanie all of the time. She just needs to talk to people every once in a while! Yup!"

Connor's persona was faker than a plastic flower, but the audience seemed to love it. As it turned out, Luke had some idea of what he was doing. How much lying was that guy doing?

"I bet you're right, Connor. So, tell us about yourself!"

"I'm named Connor Stoll! I don't have parents either. I have a brother named Travis, and I work in the fields! I have lots of friends and a girlfriend named…Tulip." Connor hoped that his little slip-up hadn't been noticed. He didn't have that many friends or a girlfriend, but no one needed to know that. As long as he was lying to everyone, he might go big.

"Do you miss your brother?"

"Yeah! I hope that he's doing okay!" Connor imagined what he would actually tell Travis. Travis, you fucking idiot, you might have been trying to protect me but instead you sent me to my death, Katie the asshole was at least brave enough to volunteer for her sister, so are you kidding me? Instead, Connor smiled at a camera.

"So, we've all been wondering what was going on at your Reaping. There was somebody screaming, wasn't there?"

"Yeah, it was this weird guy. Sorry, but I don't think that it had anything to do with me." Connor imagined the guy seething. Further, further. "I think that he's kind of crazy. He lives under a tree."

Antaeus laughed. "Well, I'm glad that it didn't have anything to do with a nice guy like you!"

"Me too!"

Connor's interview wasn't the worst of the night. Connor was glad that he could at least have the fun of making fun of the people in the Capitol, although they didn't know it. They really were idiots. Connor wondered how many of his fellow tributes had realized that his act was just that—an act. He wondered if Katie knew.

Zoe was dressed in a short silver dress with black leggings. Her mentor had told her stylist to dress her in something that made her look strong, to play up her training score. Persephone could be an insufferable person sometimes, but she had at least made a good decision when it came to that. Zoe would have preferred to have a quiver of arrows on her back or a knife in her hand, but that could come later. Zoe reminded herself that she was safe for now, despite the fact that that—male—was the interviewer.

"Zoe Nightshade, our highest scoring tribute!" Antaeus announced as Zoe took her seat. He seemed to be happy. The previous tribute had been overly happy and enthusiastic, a foolish male through and through. Zoe suspected that it might have been a front, but if so, the male had done an above average job at being convincing. Zoe wondered what the male 11 had done in his life to make him so good at trickery. He might have been dangerous.

"Zoe, tell us about why you volunteered."

Zoe bristled. The male dare ask her for her reasons? She was infinitely better than him! None of the Capitol audience deserved an explanation from her! Zoe shrugged stiffly. "Because it was the right thing."

None of the audience seemed to know how to take this answer. Antaeus quickly asked his next question. "Did you know the girl you volunteered for at all?"

"Vaguely."

"Were you friends."

"I am unsure."

"Is there anyone at home that you're fighting to get back to?"

"The general population of District Twelve, to be honest."

"Wow! You must really love your district."

Zoe hated her district, or at least, the males in it. She volunteered because she was without family, without friends, a broken and bitter person who deserved death more than any of the little girls that could have been Reaped. Zoe would fight hard and bring down retribution upon the foolish males who would take advantage of her, who threw away their lives to volunteer.

"Yes."

"Are you also going to answer all of my questions with yes or no?"

The audience was laughing. Fools. What passed for humor here was dry and meaningless.

"Perhaps. It depends on whether I see the question as worth answering."

"You seem like a person who knows what you want in life."

"Yes."

"So, give us a hint to how you got that score. Eleven! That's pretty crazy, especially for someone from Twelve. Are you going to break your district's Victorless streak?"

"I certainly hope so."

"And the score?"

"A result of my talent."

"Give me details!" Antaeus practically begged. "That's the second 11 to be scored in Hunger Games history! You've made the history books already!"

"I am glad to hear it."

Nico watched with rage as Zoe talked about her high score, her talent, watching as the Capitol watched her. The difference was that the Capitol believed that Zoe was just aloof, maybe nice on the inside, maybe the Victor that they wanted.

Meanwhile, Nico knew the truth. Zoe was a murderer. He could expose her to the whole of Panem, but that seemed so impersonal. The vendetta that he had for Zoe was a very personal thing. He wanted to be addressing her specifically as he confronted her about her misdeeds, not telling the whole nation at once. Plus, as much as Nico hated to admit it, Zoe would kill him before he could kill her if she knew of his grudge.

Zoe's time ended, and Nico went onto the stage. "And another volunteer from Twelve!" Antaeus said. "Ladies and gentlemen, we might be seeing the start of a trend! Nico, tell us why you volunteered."

Nico stayed silent for a few moments, dark eyes staring off to some small point in the distance. "…It was the right thing to do."

Antaeus laughed. "Well, you and your partner seem to be two peas in a pod!"

"Don't say that ever again."

Antaeus, not to mention everyone else, couldn't have missed the dangerous note in his voice. Nico cursed himself. He had to be smart about this if he wanted to avenge Bianca.

"Any family?" Antaeus asked.

Nico shook his head. "It's only me."

"What happened to your parents?"

"They died."

"Who raised you? Do you have any siblings?"

"My sister Bianca raised me. But then she died."

"Oh no! How did that happen?"

"She went into the Games two years ago and died on the first day." Nico remembered Bianca, sitting in the Justice Building as he was given ten minutes to say his goodbyes. He had asked her, again and again, why she had volunteered. Bianca had said that it was to help the district and to help them both get a leg up in life. She had explained that they were orphans, and that there were other kids out there with parents and more friends than either of them who deserved to live. That Celyn, the girl who had been Reaped, had a big family that loved her. Her friend Zoe had explained all of that to her. Bianca had promised to come back.

She had lied.

"I remember her," Antaeus said thoughtfully. "She was the twelve-year-old who volunteered." He shook his head, chuckling. "Poor girl. Didn't even make it through the first hour."

Nico shook with rage. "Yes. She died."

"And that's why you volunteered?"

Nico gave a bitter smile. "I have some unfinished business in the Arena."

His interview ended there. The curtains fell on the stage as applause broke out through the room. Nico stood up, legs shaking, and headed for the elevator along with the 23 other tributes. He went into an elevator and pressed the "close" button.

But the doors didn't close fast enough. The boy from 9 jumped into the elevator before the doors closed. Nico moved over to the wall and stared resolutely forward, hoping that the boy wouldn't engage him.

It was to no avail. "Do you have something against Zoe?" he asked.

Nico didn't turn his head. "It's none of your business."

"So you do."

"Can I help you?" Nico snarled.

"Look, Nico. Holding grudges is dangerous. You need to let go of all that and protect yourself once those Games start."

"I didn't ask for your help!"

Will didn't know why he was pushing the point. Nico had made it obvious that he didn't want help. Still, Will couldn't stop himself. He and Lou Ellen had made an alliance, but there was something about this boy. Austin had warned him that it was in his nature to try and help people, and that he couldn't let that part of himself be what led to his downfall. Austin would probably roll his eyes and grumble if he could see Will now.

"You didn't ask. But you need help."

"What, from you?"

"Yes, from me!"

"You'll be trying to kill me in less than 24 hours!"

Nico's yell left silence in the elevator. Will noticed that his body language had changed. He had shifted so that he was looking at Will, glaring, leaning slightly forward as if he wanted to attack.

"No, I won't, Nico," Will said. "I'm not that kind of person."

"You might not be now. But later…"

"I won't kill you. Promise."

Nico shook his head, glaring at Will, and turned away.

It was time for Will to get off of the elevator, anyway.

XXXXX

Across the building, in another elevator, Percy and Annabeth were stuck together. Percy had opted not to take the elevator with the rest of the Careers, and Annabeth had only narrowly avoided getting on the elevator that held her hyperactive district partner and the crazy kid from 8.

"Why did you volunteer?" Annabeth suddenly asked, cursing herself for engaging such a threat to her life.

Percy looked surprised. "Are you talking to me?"

Annabeth didn't answer, but Percy quickly corrected himself. "I mean, obviously you're talking to me. I don't know…I mean, I do know. It's because if I win, everything will work out for me."

"Do you really believe that? You think that being a Victor will magically solve every problem you've ever had?"

Percy scratched the back of his neck. "Well, um…"

"Why did you really volunteer, Percy?"

Why did I volunteer? Percy wondered. So many of the kids here would give anything to go back home, so why did I throw it all away?

"I don't know. I guess…"

Annabeth looked annoyed with him. "You must have some reason."

Percy had a feeling that Annabeth thought he was an idiot. He wanted to prove her wrong. He had never been the smartest in school, but if he couldn't act smart to another tribute, what chance did he have? "I don't know, Annabeth! I guess…it's just so normal there, you know?"

"So that's your reason? It's just normal?"

"Well…" Percy realized that he had said something wrong. He was not impressing or intimidating Annabeth at all. He wished that he wasn't stuck in an elevator with her.

"Basically, you were told to volunteer, and you did."

From the expression on Percy's face, Annabeth knew she was right. It was nice to know this about the Career. He followed orders well. But could he think for himself? "In other words, you didn't choose to. You live in a district where volunteering is commonplace and coveted, and didn't bother considering the negative ramifications."

"What?"

Annabeth smirked. She had expected her language to go over Percy's head, but not by this much. "Whatever, Percy."

Percy grabbed her arm. Annabeth yanked it out of his grasp. "Don't touch me!"

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to say that I can think for myself! I don't think it's fair for you to judge me like that based off one sentence!"

"I'm not judging you. I'm just…observing."

"Well, stop it!"

"Stop what?"

Percy sighed. "Look, my dad—he's a trainer. He always wanted to go into the Games, but never did. My little brother Tyson idolizes me. He thinks that I can win."

"The pressure of your father and fear that your little brother would think less of you drove you into a death match."

Percy didn't want to answer that statement. He already felt bad enough. He wasn't sure why he had admitted to Annabeth the reason for his volunteering.

But Annabeth kept talking this time. "To be honest, the whole family thing? I get that. My dad never gave me much attention. It made me act out. I have little brothers too, and while I kind of hate them, they believe in me. I don't want to let them down."

"I know you think that I'm just a dumb Career."

Annabeth fixed Percy in her gaze. Percy noted that her eyes were a strange shade of gray, almost like the storm clouds over the ocean on rainy days.

"I'll prove you wrong," Percy said. "I'll prove you wrong."

Tributes and Ages:

D1: Castor Bordeax, 18; Nancy Bobofit, 18
D2: Octavian Hill, 16; Reyna, 17
D3: Leo Valdez, 14; Annabeth Chase, 16
D4: Percy Jackson, 17; Clarisse La Rue, 18
D5: Jason Grace, 15; Ella Harrison, 13
D6: Clovis Sonan, 15; Rachel Dare, 17
D7: Grover Underwood, 18; Calypso Aterra, 18
D8: Ethan Nakamura, 16; Piper Mclean, 15
D9: Will Solace, 16; Lou Ellen Lerner, 15
D10: Frank Zhang, 17; Hazel Levesque, 17
D11: Connor Stoll, 16; Katie Gardner, 18
D12: Nico di Angelo, 14; Zoe Nightshade, 18

If anyone has any suggestions for who should die or about the general writing quality, I'd be glad to hear them.