A reply to Kealimepie: No no no no no! Sorry if I meant it like that, I just wanted to let you know. :) Also, I know nothing about the app, so...sorry, but I don't know. :( I've only ever used it once and it was for forums.

Twyla Zahavyin (D5 Female)

I was so dazed by the Reapings, it seemed like a lifetime had gone by when I walked onto the train. It was magnificently built, imposing in all ways, but somehow, I just didn't have any interest in it. I had something more important to do.

Leaving the rest of them, I searched out my room and flopped down on the bed with a sigh. The stars would be amazing tonight, I thought. Stargazing was one of the things that kept me from snapping at my stupid stepmom. They just had a kind of peace to them, a wisdom that told me not to let my temper lead me. Sometimes there were no stars, which I frantically thought, I must've done something wrong, and hurried to fix whatever problem I identified.

I couldn't care less about my District partner. He was just another opponent in the Games, one more person on my list of suspects, a possible ally, but I couldn't get my hopes up. He didn't exactly seem the type to be in the Games- so far all I had gotten from his aura was another happy, cheerful, carefree tribute.

My suspicions ran high with him. He might be hiding something, maybe one of his strengths, so that I would underestimate him, and then he would turn on me. I couldn't let myself believe he was completely innocent- I had learned much about that subject from Gisele.

Twice someone knocked at the door, but I just ignored them and kept staring at the ceiling, encased by my thoughts. The stars would be a welcome sight tonight. They would make me feel peaceful and give me hope, that perhaps I could win the Games. I glanced to the sole window in my enormous room, its frame a pale salmon color, the sky showing mid-afternoon. A few hours more and that sky would turn black, the stars (if there were any visible) would come out and I could make my prayers then, slow down my frantically beating heart.

Laying there on my bed, just looking at the ceiling, made me feel suddenly drowsy, even though I wasn't tired. I was dazed, sure, but not tired. My energy levels were always high and I couldn't recall a time when I had ever been reduced of it. I got my sleep when I needed it, even if it meant locking the door.

My thoughts then drifted to my mentor, the vicious woman who always had an intimidating look on her face and her eyes glowing with something close to thirst. I wasn't too sure I could handle somebody who looked so eerily close to my imaginative images of Gisele. My fingers balled up into a fist and I poured all my strength into my hand, shutting my eyes tightly. She was no problem, compared to the weight of the Games.

With that in mind, I slowly let my eyes fall open again...and was shocked that it was already dark. Had time really passed that fast? Was I dreaming? I pinched myself but all that happened was a slice of irritating pain going through my arm.

I slipped off my bed and paced over to the window, my arms settling comfortably on the sill. I gazed out intently out the clear glass, seeing stars...a blazing coal-colored darkness...I opened the window and inhaled the refreshing cool air, carrying a slight breeze to send goosebumps all over my arms.

Then I saw a head.

My first instinct was to scream, to scream my eyes off until I could see the head no longer. Then I realized that the head was attached to a body, only the grass went all the way up to the shoulders and only a face showed through.

I stared at the girl, feeling like this was what I would imagine a Career to be like. She was small, but athletic, pale eyes trained on me with a sort of fiery indignation.

"Shh," she whispered, putting a finger to her lips urgently. I stared at her, jaw dropped, wondering what on earth she might be doing here in the middle of the night. As far as I could tell, we were not close to any District. So was she sneaking away? Thrilled by the idea, I observed her with high interest.

She watched me, her eyes calculating.

I continued watching her.

We kept on staring at each other until I felt that we were either trying to sear the other's eyeballs out or trying to win at a staring contest. I had a feeling it was neither. Well, I had my reasons for staring at her- but it wasn't like she had excuses for staring at me.

So I just piped up in a high-pitched voice from the past few hours of disuse, "What are you doing here?"

She frowned. "Stop staring at me."

"You stop staring at me," I retorted.

She crawled through the grasses toward me, keeping her head low. "Are you a tribute, by chance? The female tribute of District Six, perhaps?"

"No. Also, you can stop staring at me now," I added sarcastically, trying not to show my fright and utter bewilderment.

"I thought you were the one who started staring," she hissed. We went back and forth for a while like this, until she finally tired and growled, "Shut up, you mewling kitten."

My nostrils flared. "Mewling kitten! Don't even! And as I said, I am not from District Six! I'm from Five! Does it even matter to you?!"

"Yes," she retorted, "it matters very, very much."

"Why?" I prodded, and she gave me a suspicious look, as if not trusting me with the answer.

Finally she sighed and said in a toneless voice, "Algar is missing. Now shut up."

Not shutting up, I asked her, "Who's Algar?"

"He's the District Four boy tribute." She paused for a moment, contemplating. "Now shut up." She turned away stiffly.

"Don't you want me to help?" I said, so sure she would've asked already. Or did she just not want help from a District Five, non-Career girl? I thought bitterly.

She looked at me darkly, as if imagining seven ways how I could die. "No." With that, she began slipping away again, I was definitely not going to dash out of the train after her. But I had another plan in mind. If I found Six for her- no, she was looking in Six. If I found Seven for her, or even Algar himself, maybe she would respect me then. Maybe I could gain a dangerous, trained Career for an ally. It was hard imagining, and sure, we would have to split up in the end, but if it was possible...I was willing to risk the chances.

I jumped out of the window.

Cameron Bordeaux(D6 Male)

I kept thinking about Caitlyn on the way there, half muddled by sadness and half feeling an odd kind of exhilaration. I had to win for her, I thought thickly. I had to win, I had to fight, even if my happy-go-easy personality went against all of it.

Why had I volunteered? I wondered sometimes, drawing my fingers across my face. Why, oh why, had I even considered the possibilities of me winning? Of course I wouldn't win. There was no way. I was from District Six, a District who had few victors compared to the Careers.

I kept reaching up to touch the C of my token, my mind dashing into memories of the two of us, our friendship, all the laughter and jokes we had exchanged. We had been through so much together, back at home, and now I was finally going into something by myself. She's with me in spirit, I thought. Through the C. The C stands for Caitlyn. Not me. Caitlyn. Kaitlyn

I felt a heavy feeling in my throat, the kind one feels as a warning that they are going to cry. I put my hands over my face and refused to let this happen. I would not cry, crying was for babies, not somebody who was almost a teenager.

I sat there alone until, oddly, the door cracked open. A girl burst through, not Harriet, my District partner, but a different one. Her hair was dark and thick, eyes pale smoky blue. There were dark shadows smudged beneath her eyes from a lack of sleep, yet fire still burned within them. She was shorter than average and a harsh glare seethed on her face. I couldn't imagine her genuinely smiling.

"Um..hello," I said cautiously, trying to force a smile even though I was trembling on the inside. Struggling to stay optimistic, I clenched my jaw hard, biting down on an onslaught of questions.

"Hello," she said swiftly. "Have you seen anyone called Algar?"

"Of course not," I answered just as briskly. My response earned a violent hit of the nearest salt container, which crashed onto the ground, spilling white flecks.

"Are you sure?" she growled roughly, eyebrows slanting together with rage, pupils dilated, a robin's-egg-blue gaze suddenly turning stormy-shaded.

"Positive," I said, quailing away from her. I didn't want to get in the way of her hot temper, I thought reasonably, and she would be a formidable enemy even without...

A growl rumbling in her throat, she spit out, "Well, I'm going to keep searching, if you don't mind. I don't have time for unobservant tributes." She stomped out of the room. I hadn't even caught her name, I regretted. She seemed just like one of those bullies who sneered at me for being a "ladies man". It didn't look like I was even going to get close to the girl's heart, however.

Harriet came in a short while later, her long black hair tied into a securing braid. She was staring wide-eyed at me, asking bluntly, "What happened?"

"Well, this girl came in and raged because she wanted to know about some person named Algar," I explained, giving her a reassuring smile. She was like a little sister, even though she was older than me, and I had to make sure she was okay. The strong protective feeling surged over me and I vowed that I would help her in the arena.

She brightened, flashing sharp white teeth. "I can help! What do you need me to do?"

I thought for a moment. "Maybe you could get her out of the train. She poses a sort of- er- threat to us."

Harriet's mouth shaped into an O of incredulity, before she nodded and raced out. I leaned back against the chair, thoughts running again back to Caitlyn. What was she doing right now? Would she be all right without me?

Then determination flashed in my mind and I told myself I would be okay, that if I had volunteered, I must've been at least holding some potential to win. I was practical, I told myself. I knew what I was doing.

Caitlyn... I thought, my brows now knitted together hopefully. If you're listening...I want you to know that I will win. I will win for all of us.

Alea Bryce (D7 Female)

I couldn't believe I had been reaped. Me, Alea Bryce, the girl who had had countless victims surrender to her axe, in the 36th Hunger Games? It was impossible. It was surreal. It was...it was reality. I had to admit just that. But my tough spirit couldn't let me see any more- or else I would likely kill my own District partner.

Spruce was okay. I mean, he was serious, hard-working, and, best of all, knew what hardship was like. It was only his moody attitude that irritated me, but I supposed I could handle it. Moody District partners...that was nothing compared to the Games itself.

Speaking of which, Spruce was recounting this moment about some girl who had showed up and apparently had naturally red and black hair(come on, that was impossible, he had to have had a hallucination).

Then I drew up sharply when he mentioned an actual name. I hadn't really been listening to him the whole time because he was getting on my nerves but a name- could that be part of a hallucination? How could you imagine up a name? And it was realistic, too: "Twyla Zahavyin."

"Twyla," I mused to myself. "Typical District Five girl tribute name." Seriously. There had to have been like four Twylas before this.

"Hm?" He turned his dark serious eyes upon me and I shot him a green-fire glare back.

"I said, Twyla is a typical District Five girl tribute name," I repeated, rolling my eyes at him. He scowled back. This was the only downside- we were both tough, we were both serious, and we both couldn't bear to reveal weaknesses to each other. In other words, our relationship was quite bumpy.

"Does it matter? I told you, there's a random girl out there and who knows where she could've came from," he looked at me intently. "So, you know, go find her?"

Pushing past him, I swung open the door and flung it back behind me. I had to see for myself if this Twyla cliche-named girl was real. Then...oh, no, it couldn't be possible... Sure enough, there was a girl, as Spruce had described, with red-and-black hair. She looked at me through eyes that only saw beyond, as if there was some kind of made-up fantasy thing behind me.

"You're Twyla, right?" I asked sharply, my tone giving no mercy to ignorance.

"Yes," she returned, her gaze flashing back to me quickly, almost with guilt, but she didn't dare show it. Her eyebrows were arched up with surprise, mouth set in a thin line.

"Why in the blazes are you here?" I grunted immediately, once I knew she was who Spruce had described. This Twyla-girl was not supposed to be on this train. Oh- what if she was a murderer? Lists upon lists of possibilities ran through my head.

"I..." She took a deep breath out. "Look, it's hard to explain. This guy named Algar- no questions please- got kidnapped or something and we're trying to get him back before we reach the Capitol. We can't let them know about this or...or..." She searched my eyes rapidly. "Or...or..we might be killed!"

"Well, you won't find him here," I said bluntly. "The only people on this train are me, you, Spruce, Avoxes, our mentors, and our escort."

"So...not Algar," she concluded, limp with disappointment.

"No Algar," I confirmed. My eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who is this Algar you're looking for anyway?"

"I said no questions," she began stubbornly then, seeing my flaming glare, hurried on quickly. "He's the District Four boy tribute and he's gone missing, as I said. He's a vital part of the Games- why, he's a Career, for heaven's sake! So this will affect the Capitol badly and everyone will whisper about how, with all their riches, they couldn't take care of one simple teenage boy."

I hissed bitterly. "So we're helping them to save their reputation?"

"And our lives," she added helpfully.

"I do care very much about my life, but.." I paused in mid-sentence. I really didn't want to get tangled up with this. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"I want you to help me find Algar," she replied easily.

"Ugh, I don't want to leave here," I growled. "There is no way-"

"Then keep a watch here. On the train," she retorted. "Report of anything unusual and watch all the Capitol shows and-"

"Do you think I'll watch their stupid gossip channels?" I cut in. "There is no way you're going to make me do that. I do not care whatsoever about models posing on stages and being showered with flowers. I also don't care about celebrity marriages, or divorces, or all their dumb life stuff."

She sighed. "I didn't mean it that way. I meant, keep a watch on all the things about the Games, or stuff that's interesting. If the title seems anything close to Algar, click on it."

"Fine. As long as I don't leave here and get myself into a mess of trouble, like you," I said pointedly, "I'm happy."

She nodded, a dark light coming over her eyes. "Fine. Tell your District partner about this too. I'm leaving."

I asked her last, "Where are you going?"

And she said fiercely, "To Ten."

Lace Riverworth (D8 Female)

I leaned back against the couch, watching the Reaping replays. I was having thoughts about all of them, mostly unpleasant because, after all, they were against me in this, but some I praised for their spirit. I wasn't so sure I wanted allies yet, but I would have to see.

For District One, I almost spit on the velvet couch because of the utterly ridiculous way the District One male held himself, proud, arrogant, bursting with confidence. I wanted to smash him in half like a walnut. His name was Mark Seashire and, strangely, he had been reaped. He had probably been the "chosen one" also. Or maybe...or maybe no one had dared challenge him? I thought with slight amusement.

The female captured my interest but only for a little while. First of all, I noted that she didn't have blonde hair, or sparkling blue eyes, or that awesome, shining skin. She had glasses, which was so different it made me want to laugh, and dark hair. Sure, her dress was showy, but I had a feeling she had had no part in selecting it.

The District Two girl was normal, muscular all the way with a fierce look in her eyes that I would have to beware of. I scoffed at the boys fighting over the position of volunteer- only a complete crazed person would do such a thing.

The District Three boy and girl were both what I expected them to be, defiant, yet looking weak on the inside.

District Four had two volunteers, a girl named Azurine who was short but contained half as much fire as her District partner, and Algar, who kept his cool.

District Five...meh. The girl had a strange hair coloring, almost as if she had dyed it, but the boy was just another random guy in the universe. I forgot about him instantly.

District Six was known to have morphlings but both tributes looked anything but that. The girl looked soft and kind, her face the perfect picture of a typical tribute's, and the boy had volunteered plus, amazingly enough, he was twelve. Twelve. Jeez, he needed help badly.

Seven was composed of a girl, Alea, who wore a tough, determined look, and a boy who mirrored her expression and was called Spruce.

I watched myself impatiently, seeing the cameras zoom in on me as I walked to the stage, a careless look on my face, one that barely held back cursing at the Capitol. I grinned now. I had done well with that.

My District partner, Rowan, was just another one of those boys who had volunteered because he hoped to win and inwardly I possessed faint spite for him.

District Nine was just another round of perky girl and expressionless boy, though I thought he had held back some kind of relief. For his friends, maybe?

District Ten, Murray and Dahlia, sent me into a bunch of yawning. Typical tributes...

Finally the camera went to Eleven, to a girl who had volunteered for someone who looked like her sister and a boy who had walked up from being surrounded by girls. I scoffed.

By Twelve, I was ready to fall asleep. The girl was soft, delicate-looking and seeming easy to pick off. Maybe she would be one of my targets. The boy volunteered for another boy who was probably his friend or something. What was it with volunteers? I thought. Did these people really possess so much love that they were willing to throw themselves onto their deathbeds?

Then my thoughts flitted back to the Capitol. Oh, yes, I would show them up. I would show the world what they were really like- inside and out. The thought sparked an enraged rebellion inside me and I promised myself that I would show them up with as much drama as I could muster.

Capitol, you better watch your backs. Because the Districts are you going to run you down.

We had no school today so I was able to finish this chapter! I was really behind xD. Like, I was only finished up with Twyla by the end of yesterday and there was no way I could get this all done with school. This is like a miracle.

8/25/17