I didn't realize that I'd basically abandon my fanfics this year, but I'm sort of updating them again.

~My head's under water

But I'm breathing fine

You're crazy and I'm out of my mind~

Auster Worthing (16), District 8

The train rushed past through the green scenery of the forest. Auster watched through the window, trying to look at the green forestry-but the tears that kept coming down his face was blurring his vision. He blinked a couple of times, and he let out a loud sob in the otherwise empty train cart.

Snot leaked from his nose which he rapidly wiped away with his sleeve. His hands shook as he took out a small piece of cloth that was from Troy's handkerchief. His thumbs made circles as he tried to relax and think of the situation. But he was still thinking about the fact that he just got reaped, and his pants fell down right in the middle of the stage.

His cheeks flushed red as he realized that had actually happened. People were probably laughing at the fact that his pants, which were a couple of sizes too big for him, tied with a makeshift belt- fell down revealing his briefs for a couple of seconds.

God, that was so embarrassing. He was never going to live this down was he?

Footsteps echoed silently on the rugged floor. He looked from his peripheral vision and saw Vernon, his mentor, stop right next to him. He looked up briefly before returning his gaze from the window. He really wasn't in the mood for anyone to talk to him or lecture him.

"Look kid. Obviously, I have no idea what you're feeling especially after what happened out there. But are you okay? Are your pants too big for you?"

Auster didn't respond.

Vernon sighed before he continued on, "I want to help you, and I'd offer to fix your pants or even give you clothes that will fit you better. I know what it's like wearing clothes sizes bigger for you, but my situation was different. I don't feel like trauma sharing or even saying my situation was just as bad, but maybe you can find the positive in this situation. I don't know, maybe people will know your name, they'll try to help or something."

Auster thought about it. It was truly a mortifying situation, but maybe he could turn it around. Show that he was human and that he made mistakes on live television like most people do. It was something that could be turned into a positive situation where he could laugh about it as the way to go- but at least, he would be memorable.

Auster looked at his mentor with a small smile, before he responded quietly, "Can you really do that? Mend my pants?"

"Of course. I do it all the time," Vernon responded with a soft smile. "It'll probably take me a couple of hours, but all I need is your measurements."

"Thanks."

~Pain! You break me down and build me up

Believer, believer~

Killian Swan (18), District 5

"You know I don't have any idea how to produce a victor," Lucia admitted, her light-pink, perfectly manicured, and probably also fake, slightly tapping on the table, creating a tap-tap-tapping noise on the white tablecloth. "I've tried and tried… So I don't have any hopes for you two."

"So you're not going to try?" His district partner, Kalia asked. "No offense… But since there's no mentor for this district. You're going to need to take up the role for it, just like for being our escort."

Killian nodded in response.

"I'll try but I'm not going to give up my hopes," Lucia said after a couple of minutes in silence, besides the only noise was the tapping noise that she was still creating.

"What's with the tapping noise?" Killian inquired. He didn't mean for it to come out coldly, but this was entirely bullshit. The escort who also served as a mentor, practically gave up on them. "It's driving me insane."

"Sorry," Lucia looked down at her hand, "If I don't tap my fingers at least fifty times, the train might crash or we might not be on schedule."

"It's alright." Kalia smiled, "You can't help it."

"Thank you…" Lucia cleared her throat, turned her head away from the two before she returned her attention back to the two tributes. "I mean I could think of a couple things that might get you further."

"What would that be?" Killian finally spoke up.

He needed to get ahead from the others, and listening to the escort/mentor would probably help him in the long run. Though, deep down he secretly wished that there was a district five mentor who actually went through the games instead of listening to someone who had no idea how hard it was to survive in the arena. He didn't want to listen to someone who could only guess, or tell him things that he should already know. He wanted someone who went through it!

"Perhaps find allies… You have better chances if you pair up with someone."

"Wouldn't that get us killed?" Killian asked, refusing the temptation to roll his eyes at what his escort was saying. "There's only one victor per year.. Besides, there've been so many allies betraying one another in hopes of being the one that wins…"

Lucia only blinked before she responded back, "Perhaps… But like I said, much better chances."

God. How did he become the unlucky one that had an escort that didn't really know what they were talking about. It's not like he could simply ally with someone and not let them betray him. No, he was going to do the opposite of that. He would be the one betraying.

~In the end everything collides

My childhood spat back the monster that you see

My songs know what you did in the dark~

Merille Tesfa (17), District 1

"I'm assuming that you two know of us?" The female mentor, Sapphire, inquired. Her back was straight as she sat on the dining room chair, her right hand on the table, with her left probably sitting on her lap. Her brown hair was put up in a high ponytail, and nearly looked like the victor she was when she won the games. "Well… I'm pretty sure you two know, but to be sure… I'm Sapphire Brown, but uhh you can call me Seph, and last year's game winner so this is my first my first time mentoring, ever… But I am super stoked! Anyways, that's Jem Lynn, the very first winner."

Jem gave a little wave with his hand, as he nursed a bottle of whiskey. Merille couldn't believe it- he was sitting right next to the infamous Jem Lynn and Sapphire Brown. He heard several stories, but honestly he still thought it was cool that the very first Hunger Games winner had come from his district.

"Isn't it cool that the recent and the very first victor is here!" Karou exclaimed, holding a flute filled with champagne, and left a smudge of blue lipstick on the flute. "Still can't believe it!"

Merille ignored what the escort said, and made sure to listen to what Jem and Seph was saying instead.

"We know that the Hunger Games are only a decade old and there's some games where the alliance doesn't exist. I'm pretty sure it solidified during my time, but the alliance between one, two and maybe four- if they are interested, are your best winning. As long as your ruthless, don't take things to heart and kill when need be, you'll be set," Seph explained.

"Isn't that what you guys say?" Affluence asked, picking up her glass that Merille assumed to be sweet tea, with a lemon hanging on the side. "It sounds sort of predictable."

"If you're in the alliance- it's a guarantee that you'll be in the top ten at least… Then, you'll be on your own and play to your strengths because then it'll become useful in winning," Jem offered.

Merille kept quiet, picking at the green peas that lined his china plate with his metal fork. He didn't exactly train for this for nothing and it sounded like Affluence might be joining the alliance, but she would perhaps be a good ally in the future- if he needed one.

~Tho' near or far

Like a song of love that clings to me~

Jasmine Blanchard (14), District 11

Jasmine wrapped the yellow ribbon around her brown fingers, absentmindedly as she focused on the TV screen in front of her, playing the reaping recaps. Her mind was so far away as she still couldn't exactly believe that she was reaped. She was grateful that her youngest sister, Marigold, had given her a yellow ribbon that she ripped out of her hair, when she came to say goodbye.

The reapings of District 10 showed up on the screen, first blaring the district 10 symbol. She watched as the escort, Tobias, in his glittery, dark-purple suit, picked out the female name- that made her heart stop and her mind wondering how.

"Reese! Oh my gosh!" She didn't care who heard her, or if anyone cared about her reaction. It was just the fact that this was her best friend.

Reese Corprican Crolique.

The girl that she became friends with, all those years ago before Reese's parents sent for her. She looked exactly like she did seven years ago, with her now long strawberry hair and her light blue eyes. God, she missed her. She missed helping her with her schoolwork when she needed it, or sharing secrets with her. So many memories flooded through her mind that she found herself wiping away some tears from her eyes.

She thought about the situation and how it complicated things. She missed Reese, and hoped that one day- the borders would open up again, and she would be able to visit. She was almost glad that Reese was in the games with her, but the fact that the games meant death and that she had to go possibly watch her best friend die.

How can the games be this cruel?

~Chariots of fire are the best

I love chariots of fire~

Alda Rushiv (14), District 12

Alda noticed the fact that her district partner, with his nice shirt and slacks and his brown hair that looked oddly nice, scooted away from her, slightly. The escort, Renee Azkin, had called them into the train cart, instead of letting them do whatever they wanted- like eating whatever is on the table that looked like it was filled with all sorts of different food, and nothing like the meager meals that she had back at home.

She looked at her district partner, wondering what they were probably thinking, but she ignored it. She stood up, and grabbed a clear, glass plate and filled it with all sorts of food- a dinner roll, steaming vegetables, a white, mushy substance that had some sort of green things on to of it, and a thing of a chicken wing. She had never seen so much food in her life.

She sat back down and asked her district partner, "What's your favorite color?"

Her district partner looked taken back with her question, as if he wasn't expecting that sort of question.

"Oh uhh- blue?"

"Like a royal blue, dark blue like the color of the ocean, turquoise, baby blue, sky blue?" Alda clarified further.

"I'm not sure, perhaps a royal blue," He answered.

"Ehh that's not blue bad… I really like a soft turquoise color if we're talking in the hues of blue, or even a baby blue- that's still pretty neat," Alda told him, taking a bit of the dinner roll.

The dinner roll was round, gold brown and yet still streaming from the inside. It was honestly the best thing she had possibly had in her entire life and the rest of the meal wasn't too bad. She got up for seconds, and ate as much as she could before it felt like she was going to throw up from the amount of food.

~I'm trying to find a way to chill, can't breathe, oh

Is there somebody who could help me?~

Kai Oriol (18), District 2

Kai tapped his fingers on his black jeans, thinking about the last words he said. He hoped someone would listen to him. Hoped that maybe someone would actually care, and regard his last wishes on taking care of his mom for him. God, he hoped so.

"Listen up, pipsqueaks!" He heard a loud male voice say. He assumed it was one of his mentors, Gabriel Wesly, as it didn't particularly sound like Theodore. "There's two of you and also two mentors, so it's easier to divide up. Is there any preference?"

When no one spoke up, Gabriel continued on, "Well then… I'll take Pandora Justice on as she was the volunteer in the games."

Pandora gave a cold smile to him, that Kai noticed that was oddly cold- as if she didn't really want help.

"And of course, that means that Sam would mentor Kairi!"

"Gee- leave me the district hated, will you," Sam groaned. "The point we're trying to make is actually to win, and we thought it might be better- to split you two up, so that we can focus on only one tribute… Make sense?"

Kai nodded.

Sam took Kai to get a different cart where it was less quieter, and had less view of the scenery that the train was passing through. It honestly looked so bare with a regular, black carpet and many white doors surrounding the place.

"I understand that your reputation may affect you, especially concerning your background in the Capitol and the games. I need to know if you're planning on having a career or not?"

"Not really… Unless they plan on inviting me," Kai told her.

Sam nodded, "Good… I honestly wouldn't trust the careers. I see the way they all act- pompous, arrogant, will get along temporarily but they won't hesitate to behead you while you're sleeping."

"Is that how you won?"

"It was either kill or be killed, but the point is…. It's probably better if you act alone as you don't have to worry about sleeping with one eye open at night."

Sorry, it took a while. Right now, I'm going to finish up another story I've been working for about 6 years, and now has 6 chapters left. Once I finish that, than I'll focus on this story more. I know this was a weird chapter, yet I oddly enjoyed it. Let me know what you think in the comments down below!