Hey guys! How are you? We're good. Thanks for asking (sigh... my attempts at humor :P) We've been pretty busy the past few weeks, hence the delay in updating the story. Thanks for sticking with us.

We apologize sincerely for the dip in quality (thought it isn't really a dip if it wasn't good in the first place), but we promise this gets better as it goes along.

Happy reading!

Tiana, Ariel, and Rapunzel ran for the woods while Mulan and Pocahontas took off in the other direction, towards the mountains. Mulan, because she had learned from her experience in the Tung Shao Pass that it was a great advantage to be on higher than your enemies, and Pocahontas, because she desperately wanted to trust Mulan and had the slightest bit of hope that she could make peace with her and become allies. Also, there was a visible stream there, which Pocahontas could use to search for edible aquatic plants, and which Mulan could use to catch fish with her bare hands, like she had learned in the army. They ran on silently together, not because they couldn't communicate (the Capitol had made them take language pills before entering the arena), but because there was no need to. There was already a mutual trust forming between them.

This year's Hunger Games had changed a lot. For one, there were only twelve tributes. Jasmine, from District 1, was, or had been, the favorite to win in the Capitol, as they made luxury items. From District 2, masonry, was Mulan, from the technology district, District 3, was Rapunzel, and from District 4's fishing industry came Ariel. Elsa was from District 5, the power and electricity district, and Tiana, from 6, worked in transportation. Merida came from 7, lumber. 8, textiles, had given up Cinderella, and 9, grain, had separated Beauty from her Beast. The livestock district had reaped Aurora, and Pocahontas had been chosen from District 11, agriculture. And lastly, Snow White had been chosen from District 12.

Pocahontas had always thought living in District 11 was hard, even as the Chief's daughter. She had to work in the fields along with everyone else, despite being considered royalty, do to the sheer number of residents in Panem. Doing backbreaking work as the sun beat down on her, creating scorching temperatures, wasn't exactly work suitable for a princess, but Pocahontas didn't have a choice. Although, she thought, I guess my familiarity with exertion will help me in the Games. I'm at least stronger than Aurora and Snow White.

Mulan glanced over at Pocahontas, who wore a tight-lipped expression, as if she were keeping depressing words from escaping. Probably thinking of home, she thought. Mulan racked her brain, trying to remember all she could about her new-found ally. Sun-tanned skin and muscles were easily detectable whenever someone looked at her. She must be from District 11, Mulan concluded. Mulan had always thought it unfair that only District 11 took on the role of farming. They had to supply crops for everyone throughout the country, and yet they got the least thanks.

But life, as she had learned, was, and always would be, unfair.

It wasn't the PTSD from the war, the ugly scar that brought back unwanted memories and pain, or how it prevented her from fitting in with other teenage girls and be looked at normally that bothered Mulan, just the fact that her father had been drafted in the first place.

Mulan shook the thoughts out of her head. Instead, she shifted her attention to her new ally.

Mulan herself was still confused as to why she trusted Pocahontas so quickly, and why she had let them become allies. After all, alliances only complicated things and created unnecessary brain games, which Mulan had never been fond of. Before the Games, Mulan had scoffed at the suggestion of making an alliance, becausesince what was the point of pretending to trust someone for a couple days, being on watch all the while, and ultimately killing her when the numbers were dwindling? In theory, it sounded ridiculous. But in practice, it was much more than that. After Mulan had faced the fear of almost dying at Elsa's hand, she had realized how much better she felt with someone to watch her back. Of course, they would eventually have to split up, but Mulan believed that Pocahontas was a creditable person who seemed like she could be trusted, at least for a while.

Mulan listened to her and Pocahontas's breathing. Mulan could tell that Pocahontas was naturally athletic. Mulan rarely ever saw any girl who could keep up with her for this long, and yet Pocahontas was still running at the same pace as when she began running with Mulan fifteen minutes ago. For someone who had never undergone military training, Mulan had to admit that it was impressive.

When the two of them started up the mountain, Pocahontas's speed decreased slightly. At first, Mulan thought it was exertion, but then she realized that Pocahontas was shifting the bags on her shoulder and alternating which shoulder carried it. Mulan wordlessly took them from her.

"It's fine—" Pocahontas tried to protest.

"I once climbed up a thirty-foot tall pole with two fifty pound weights," Mulan cut her off. "This is nothing." She knew that Pocahontas had to be strong to be working in the fields every day, but it wasn't like corn weighed, especially ever since all the corn in Panem had been genetically modified to be sweeter, juicier, and lighter in weight fifty years ago.

As the two got higher, the temperature dropped noticeably. Mulan was wearing the same dress that she had saved China in, which was surprisingly warm and similar to the material of the outfit she had worn when training in the army. Pocahontas, on the other hand, was wearing her usual animal skin outfit that did not do a good job of keeping her warm, which honestly was hard to do when leaving all of her arms and legs exposed. As they neared the top, their breath became visible, and Pocahontas could not help but wish that she had worn something different.

Pocahontas tried not to shiver, but it was impossible. They had reached a small clearing surrounded by an abundance of trees and a stream running through it, and they had decided to stop there for the night. The only problem with stopping was that without the constant movement, Pocahontas was beginning to grow colder and colder by the second. Plus, being in the mountains in higher altitudes wasn't exactly helpful either. Pocahontas wasn't an idiot; she knew that starting a fire would practically tell everyone 'here we are!', but then again, dying of hypothermia seemed pretty stupid, too.

"M-maybe we sh-should st-start a f-fire." Pocahontas suggested weakly, trying, but failing, to keep her teeth from chattering. "I kn-know it might attract p-people," she added hurriedly, "but..."

Mulan studied Pocahontas. Then, she said, "I'm not sure that's the best idea."

Reaching into one of the packs they'd salvaged from the Cornucopia, she pulled out a thick blanket and handed it to Pocahontas.

"Th-thanks." she said.

Mulan was starting to have doubts about her ally. Maybe I made a mistake in choosing her, she thought. I mean, seriously? A fire would alert everyone in a five mile radius to exactly where we are, not to mention scare away any game, too! Mulan pushed all thoughts of Pocahontas out of her head as she prepared to go to bed. Maybe the cold is getting to her head, she thought hopefully. Otherwise, with logic like that, she's as good as dead.

Mulan had a hard time falling asleep that night. She had selflessly let Pocahontas keep the warmer, thicker blanket, and had therefore been left with the thin, ragged blanket that was almost no help against the cold. Because of this, she couldn't fall asleep, but it wasn't like she would have been able to anyway. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the face of Jasmine flash across her eyelids. Jasmine had been from District 1; Mulan had figured that out earlier that evening when the anthem had played and they showed the faces of the deceased tributes.

Mulan knew what it felt like to lose someone; although it had never happened to her, personally, she had felt a similar feeling when she had first found out that her father had been drafted to the army. At any rate, Mulan could still sympathize, and she knew that Jasmine's family would mourn her death for a long time. They would eventually move on, but they would never really forget her, and Mulan felt empty knowing that she was the cause of this. She had killed soldiers before—thousands of them—but that was different. Jasmine, for the most part, had been innocent. It wasn't her choice to join to be reaped.

But it's part of the Games, Mulan reminded herself in a feeble attempt to reassure herself.

It didn't help.

In an attempt to prove that she wasn't as weak as she had seemed the night before, Pocahontas offered to collect edible plants in the woods the next morning.

"Good idea." said Mulan.

Satisfied, Pocahontas got to her feet, grabbed the sword and headed off into the woods. Her feet made little sound as she moved, a skill she'd obtained after years of growing crops. Grabbing handfuls of clovers as she made her way further into the woods, her eyes finally landed on a chicory bush. Jackpot! she thought excitedly. Rushing forward, she was about to grab some of the flowers, when...

Mulan let an arrow fly, catching a rabbit on the neck. This will go well with whatever Pocahontas brings, she thought. And speaking of Pocahontas...

Rushing back to camp, Mulan grabbed the only item she had found in the satchel—a watch—and looked at it's face, which read 9:48.

9:48! Pocahontas had been gone for over an hour! Was she dead? No she couldn't be. The cannon hadn't gone off. So did she abandon me? No, probably not, she didn't seem like the type of person who'd do that. Mulan's brain raced in a jumble of thoughts as she tried to figure out what she should do. Should she even try to find her? A dead Pocahontas meant would mean avoiding a messy predicament later, in which only only one of them would come out alive. There could only be one winner after all. But on the other hand... Pushing down all thoughts of abandoning Pocahontas, Mulan finally decided to walk in a circle around their camp, slowly spiraling outward.

Grabbing the bow and arrows, she set out.

Dropping her watch, Pocahontas sprang back in fear, only to find a rabbit nibbling at a low hanging chicory flower. Chuckling a little, she bent down to grab the watch, which read 9:52.

Pocahontas gasped as she realized that she'd been gone for and hour. Quickly uprooting the plant, Pocahontas hurried back in the direction of camp.

Mulan's stomach was growling. She reached for the dead rabbit, which was now tucked into her satchel. No! she reprimanded herself. Save it to eat with Pocahontas.

Eyes still roaming for her lost ally, Mulan finally came across an apple tree. Lighting up visibly, she hurried over to inspect the tree. It looked fine enough.

Mulan had just reached out for an apple when someone cried, "No!"

"No!" Pocahontas cried. Flinging herself in between Mulan and the tree, she tried not to think about how much pain this one particular type of tree had caused her and the rest of District 11.

"What?" Mulan asked, stepping away from tree hastily. Pocahontas saw the confusion written all over Mulan's face.

"You can't eat this," she explained in a rush. "It's a poisonous apple tree devised the Capitol!" There was no doubt in Pocahontas' mind that this was true; she could see it in the deep green-blue leaves and glossy, red, almost too perfect apples.

Alarm appeared on Mulan's face. "Wha—? Why—? How—? " she stuttered in confusion. "Explain." she finally said.

Pocahontas nodded and relayed the story to Mulan.

"There was this boy named Milap," she began, "which means 'he who does not flee'. He was very loyal, and the most overly modest person you would ever meet." A small smile appeared on her face as she recounted all the happy memories she and others had shared with him. "Everyone loved being around him. Milap was just one of those people that you can't help but like. He made all our lives in District 11 a little, well, brighter. Life on a farm is hard, but it's fulfilling, and we were all happy.

"Then one day, the white idiots from the Capitol came. They took over the farms, taunting us and making fun of our 'old' way of life. The Native American way of life is very peaceful." Pocahontas quickly added. She was very passionate about two things — preserving nature and teaching people about Native Americans. There was nothing (except possibly the deforestation in the Amazon rain forest) that annoyed her more than when people wrote Native Americans off as 'not with the times' and 'stuck in the past'. And you did not want to call her and her family 'Indians'. The last (and only) person to do that had ended up… well, let's just say you don't want to go down that road.

"They forced us to grow food for them, and they succeeded in doing so because they had guns. We didn't. So we started giving them a portion of our produce, but naturally, we also secretly began to formulate plans to rebel. A lot of people decided it wasn't worth fighting and fled the village, but Milap, along with a couple dozen other families, decided to stay. He sought revenge, and every night he'd steal supplies from the guards for the young children still in the village, who had grown sick in the terrible conditions.

"One day he was caught in the act of stealing, although he didn't know it. One of the guards had secretly spotted him, but, instead of shooting him like they normally did when someone was caught breaking the rules, the guard decided to report him to the Capitol instead. The Capitol decided to use Milap's punishment as an opportunity to test out one of their new inventions. They had recently invented this genetically modified apple tree that produced apples filled with poison. It was created with the sole purpose of tricking rebels into eating them, and the Capitol decided to test the apples's proficiency with Milap. The guard slipped one of the poisonous apples into one of Milap's crates, which eventually made it's way to the Capitol. Some important government official ate it, and he died, and Milap was blamed.

"They executed him by forcing him to eat one of the apples in front of everyone remaining in the village. Of course, we all knew that Milap didn't have the supplies to create the apple, and eventually, we learned that it was the guard who'd caused the whole thing. We were angry, obviously, but then, they started mass producing the poisonous apple trees, just to make fun of us, and it made Milap's death even worse. So, when you almost ate one, I..." Pocahontas trailed off, glancing at Mulan's face. It displayed so much sorrow there that Pocahontas almost did a double take. Her first impression of Mulan had been that she was a stone-faced, detached warrior devoid of emotion, but maybe she had been too quick to judge her.

"I'm sorry." Mulan said. She couldn't think of anything better to say. "And there's no mistaking that..."

"No, these are definitely poisonous." Pocahontas answered. "See the glossy, blue-green leaves? And the skins; they're too shiny."

Mulan nodded and then just stood there, not exactly sure what else to say. She had never been the best at consoling people. She had never understood why people would say things like, 'you shared so many good memories' and 'just remember all the good times' to those who had lost a loved one. Were those words supposed to somehow make death seem like a good thing, like it was something to be celebrated? Mulan had personally never liked it when people said these things, so she settled on saying, "I'm sorry," for a second time.

A long moment passed between the two of them.

After a while, Pocahontas said quietly, "Thank you."

Meanwhile, in her hideout in an underwater sea cave, Ariel couldn't help but feel the hunger as it settled in. Although she was hiding out in the river filled with an abundance of fish, she couldn't bring herself to kill any of them. They were like her next-door neighbors, but with fins and gills instead of arms and legs, living in coral instead of houses, and not on land, but under the sea...

She let her eyes follow a school of tuna as they swam temptingly in front of her. She would have to eat something eventually, and food seemed a lot easier to obtain in water than on land, where there was a pool of angry tributes ready to kill her the second she showed her face.

Just as Ariel was debating between cannibalism and starvation, she felt something in the water change. The water had always been cold, but she could swear that it was turning colder. Puzzled, she swam in a circle, searching for anything that could have caused the change in temperature. The water became even more chilly, to the point where Ariel would have called it freezing.

Then it hit her. Her eyes widened.

Shit.

Ariel turned her head upwards in a panic, fear gripping her inside and out. She saw the water around her slowly begin to freeze.

Oh god, how could she have forgotten?

As she slowly became enclosed and trapped in the block of ice that the river had become, Ariel tried to scream, but only tiny bubbles of air came out. She gasped for air, but the ice began closing in on her gills, and within seconds she could not move or breathe. Ariel's head lolled back as she resigned herself to a fate of suffocation.

An awkward silence settled between Mulan and Pocahontas, with Pocahontas trying to force her emotions down, and Mulan struggling to come up with something intelligent to say.

"I, um... I'm really sorry," she settled for, glancing up uncomfortably. She made the signal to start walking back, and she turned around to avoid Pocahontas' gaze. She could hear her near silent footsteps following her.

Mulan reached the top first, so she decided to catch some fish while waiting. She reached into the stream, only to pull her fingers out with a yelp. The water was freezing cold, and the quick-flowing current stung.

A little slower this time, Mulan steeled herself and reached in. She felt a fish sliding past her hand and made a quick grab the way Shang had taught her.

All of a sudden, Mulan felt ice closing in on her hand. What the—

"Oh my god!" she heard Pocahontas gasp.

With a quick jerk, Mulan pulled her hand out of the now frozen stream, letting go of the fish. She fell backwards with an unladylike groan, muttering a few unladylike words while she was at it.

Then the cannon sounded.

"Wait, Mulan-" Mulan turned around and she saw Pocahontas relax.

"Oh god, I thought that was you, that cannon, like maybe, I thought... I don't know, the Gamemakers made a trap or something, like electrocuted you through the water because of what I just told the whole country of Panem about the Capitol, or poisoned it with something that killed on contact, or- or maybe even, I don't know, injected tracker jacker venom into it-" she paused for a breath, actually seeming flushed, which Mulan suspected rarely happened.

Mulan thought about smiling or reassuring her, but she was too busy staring at frozen steam to care. Her eyes then turned to her hand, and her eyes widened.

That was when Mulan unfortunately felt the searing hot pain as it finally kicked in.