Last time, it took FOREVER to actually get to the Games, since I gave each Tribute a POV in every section. This time, I'm going to split things a bit. The Parade and the private sessions will have every Tribute, but this chapter, the training, and some before-Games snippets will have different randomly selected Tributes, so each Tribute will be in one of those chapters. If you have a snippet or training moment you want, you can send it to me and I'll put it in.

Erwin POV

There was so much. I walked past a random Capitolite in a hall and she was wearing jewelry that cost more than Colette and I had earned in our lives. My room here was as big as hour house. It had luxurious sheets and a huge bathroom with stone floors. I wished Colette was here so she could see all this. It was what she deserved.

Ambrosia shooed me downstairs and introduced me to Blush, my "stylist". His job was to remove everything that made me who I was and remake me in the Capitol's image. After a few hours with that crew of ditzes, I felt like I was the lucky one. Maybe I was going into the Games to almost certain death, but at least I had a brain. They finally released me and I went back to my room.

By then it was after noon, so I asked a passing servant if I could have some lunch.

"Of course. Would you like a light aperitif, some canapes, or a more substantial entrée?" He asked.

"I'd like some food," I said. The servant sniffed and came back a few minutes later with a huge cart loaded with everything I could imagine. At that moment, I had two thoughts. The first was what a colossal waste and the second was I have got to win. Colette needs to see this.

Emmalie POV

I could learn to like the Capitol. Everyone here is so stupid. I can just snatch a necklace right off a lady's neck and she didn't even notice. Soon I had a huge pile of booty in my room. It wasn't necessary by any means- either I'd win and be rich or lose and die- but there's just so much temptation.

My room had just about everything imaginable, and I rung for a servant.

"Can I call my family?" I asked.

"Sorry, no contact until after the Games," she said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I don't make the rules," she said, and she left.

I took out my silly little barn and turned it over in my hands. It did remind me of home. I wondered what the twins were up to. They probably took over my room, the little sneaks.

I paced the halls and tried to peek at the other Tributes. A few of them were younger than I was, but I also saw two giant boys. All in all, looked like I'd have to hope they didn't notice me. I could be unnoticeable if I had to.

Ruby POV

"Kind of a weird year for One, isn't it? We're a funny pair," Aurum said.

"Yeah, I guess so," I said.

"At least we have the looks," Aurum said. "Well, one of us does," he continued as he peeked at me. We were on our way to see our new rooms. A well-dressed woman walked by.

"Hey, wanna see something really cool?" Aurum whispered. As the woman passed us. He bumped into her softly.

"Excuse me," he said when the woman looked at him. She smiled and continued on her way.

As soon as she was out of sight, Aurum held out a tiny purse.

"Did you just steal her purse?" I asked. Aurum smirked and opened it up. There was some makeup, a wallet, and a gold bracelet.

"For you, my lady," Aurum said as he clapped the bracelet around my wrist. I blushed and looked away. I had plenty of nice things, since my father was rich, but this one was special. I didn't know why Aurum seemed to have taken such a fancy to me. I wished I could tease back, but I would just sound stupid. Hopefully he liked shy girls.

Dath POV

Four sure is a lot more sensible than the Capitol. These people wouldn't last a minute in the Games. I wandered past two hair salons, a nail salon, three magazine stands, and a makeup store all on the same floor.

Is there anything useful here? I wondered. I checked a sign.

HALL OF VICTORS- THIRD FLOOR

That's more like it. I took an elevator down and followed the signs to an austerely decorated marble hallway. Portraits covered the walls, and each had a bust underneath it. I walked closer to the back and saw Jonah's picture. He looked so young, just like me. His face was serious and turned up, like he'd been training for that picture for years. He had, I guess. I found Orchard's picture at the very end and walked along looking at all the rest, from Crag's hulking form to Soleil Pere's waifish figure. At the entrance of the hall, on the left side, there was an empty frame.

That's where I'll be soon, I thought. I tried to imagine a regal bust of me made from the finest stone Two had to offer. It wasn't hard. I would fit right in.

Two, One, and Four had a lot more portraits than their share, but the presence of so many outer Tributes was a little unnerving. Soleil must have beaten out four or six Careers. You just never knew in the Games. I might have had a huge advantage, but I couldn't get too confident. The Games brought out the best in people.

Frankie POV

"We'll just rub this on your face and you won't have to worry about growing a beard in the Arena," Filay said as he smeared some sticky paste on my cheeks.

"Why would that matter?" I asked.

"You would look so silly with a beard," Filay said.

"What if it's cold in the Arena?" I asked.

"It probably won't be, since the twenty-third Games were so dull," Filay said. "But we still put the cream on for those Tributes."

There was so much I'd never understand about the Capitol. Their clothes didn't make any sense. The women could hardly walk in the tippy high heels. They smeared paste in their hair to make it ridiculous colors, and all they ever talked about was fashion. They were like complete opposites of me.

Since I didn't give a fig how I looked, I let Filay do whatever he felt like and thought about the Games. There seemed to be something of a pattern in the Arenas. Four years ago it was a desert. Then it was ice, and then a tree-filled swamp. The Gamemakers seemed to like variety. Maybe this year it would be a jungle, or even a huge building. But then, this was the Quarter Quell. Maybe they had something extra bombastic in mind, like a huge mud pit or a giant clothes store. It was obvious I'd have to prepare for everything, and as soon as training time came around, I'd do just that.