Author's Note

I do not own the Hunger Games.

Zephyr Almon, 13

This was the Fiftieth.

Just his luck.

His second time playing The Game, a hope for a fun playthrough with his sister – and this was the fucking fiftieth.

Twice the tributes, twice the players.

Zephyr glanced about himself, scanning the crowd. Most of the faces were bland and electronic, the same five sets of eyes, the same ten hairstyles, but sure enough, he picked out a boy in the corral for eighteen year old boys with pink hair and a pierced lip. The second male player. No programed District NPC looked like that. Zephyr looked up and down the corrals for the girls. The first player there was a girl with long black and orange hair , but he couldn't see the second one. Maybe they were younger, like Celeste. They'd be hidden among the twelve year olds.

He sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Well, this was a waste of credits. He and Celeste would be taken out early by the older tributes and then just get to watch a bunch of kids having fun. Neither of them stood a chance against a bigger player, which was what most of those that played The Game were, and Celeste probably wouldn't even try anyway. Sometimes Zephyr wondered if she understood the meaning of fun.

Well, at least it was said that the arena for the Fiftieth was beautiful.

Luminita Summerfield, 17

A special.

The advertisement had said they were running a special.

The Fiftieth Hunger Games. Twice the tributes. Sorcha had wanted to prove her ability to win; well, now she could prove it twice over. Or be cut down twice as easily, more like. Luminita wanted to laugh, but held back since they could theoretically have been sorted into the same District. She hadn't seen any of the other players yet. And where it could, The Game would assign one boy and one girl to a District. The developers had wanted it to run as closely to the real Hunger Games as it could. So presumably there would have been some attempt to get two boys and two girls in each during this one. Which meant there were three others here if she wanted a different set of allies.

Though since the playing of a very nice video featuring the highlights of the Capitol was coming to an end, she was presumably soon to find out what she was up against.

When she met up with Sorcha, she was never going to let her live this down. Somehow, she hadn't accounted for being separated, even being aware that where it But Luminita had still somehow accepted that she'd be with Sorcha to watch her insanity. Instead, she'd been sorted into District Six, while Sorcha was…

Well, presumably she'd find out.

"Wasn't that a nice video?" said the District Six escort, who had been based on Fritilia Everson with her wild poofy hair and black and white costume. "Now, how about we we who our lucky competitors are?" She stalked over to the first of the reaping bowls and plunged her hand into it. "Ah, lovely! Our first competitor will be Luminita Summerfield! Come on up here, Luminita! Let's see your lovely face!"

This thing really had been programed to go all in, hadn't it?