The morning of the 101st Hunger Games:

Cameron Solidago, 12
District 9 Male

I've never been more terrified in all my life than I am this morning. The lingering nerves I had last night are replaced with total fear today. My stomach churns and I think I might actually lose my breakfast. Desmond rubs my back, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I want to turn to him but I know he's eventually gonna have to leave to go to wherever the mentors are and I'm gonna be all alone.

My stylist fusses with the outfit I've been given. It's an indigo tracksuit with a purple trim and violet undershirt. There's a number 9 on the back. It's made from a very sleek material and I play with the ends of it to keep myself distracted as my stylist pulls out the shirts I'm supposed to wear. Plain black sneakers. I do up the laces and keep looping them around my fingers. Eventually, Desmond has me sit down and he fixes them for me. I feel a lot younger than I am, reminded of the times when I didn't actually know how to tie my shoes and always sought out my older brothers, either to show me or to do it themselves. Funny. It was only a few years ago, but feels like another lifetime that I can only remember snippets of.

"Tributes." The intercom crackles and bursts to life with Athos Leigh-Snow's voice. He sounds very calm and quiet, way more composed than I'm feeling. "Please enter your tubes. You have sixty seconds to do so."

"Best of luck out there," Desmond says quietly as he falls away into the background and I step into the tube by myself with nobody left to support me. My heart is pounding. The glass door sliding into place behind me feels suffocating. Like I've been symbolically cut off from everyone I know and love. There really is no choice but to face the Games alone.

I don't want to be alone. I want my parents. I want my friends. I want my niece. I want to get out of here. I don't want to come back.

The tube begins to rise.

I place my hands against the glass, feeling its cool and smooth touch against my skin. No way I could ever climb it. Even then, I have no choice but to go up instead of down. I feel trapped and empty.

I want to go home. It's such a simple request that only a little kid like me could make, but it feels like too much to ask.

I suddenly feel a blast of cool air as I finally ascend into…a spaceship? No seriously, what is this? The ground shakes a little as clouds whizz past the giant glass windows on either side of me, but there's not enough motion to knock me from my pedestal. It doesn't make me feel any better though. Why can't everything just stay in place? Why do the Gamemakers have to be so weird?

The Cornucopia looks a lot smaller than I remember, even if there's still a ton of supplies scattered about. Across from me, I can see Linh and I give her a wave. She waves back until her face suddenly melts into shock. I glance over to my right and I see Vivian standing next to me. My mouth goes dry.

Oh God no. Not a Career.

The countdown appears over the horn. Walker and Vick both crouch, as if they're waiting to run. Linh keeps glancing around. Tati has pressed her hands over her ears and begins to shake. I think about everything and everyone I've been forced to leave behind, but that won't do me any good. I realize that nobody can save me here. Except for myself.

I copy my allies' movements. The Games are about to begin.

Mila Estedon, 16
District 3 Female

I want to vomit. I want to scream. I just don't want to be here on this ship that's hurling us through the sky into a fate unknown. Something catches in my throat and if I wasn't so scared or choked up, I might actually start crying.

Each ticking second of the countdown just makes me more anxious. I know what's going to happen when it hits zero. But something could change. The Gamemakes could be upset with me and kill me right now. Or all the tributes decide to go after me. So many things could happen and I don't want to die and-

"Mila!"

Someone calls my name. I look up from my feet to see Loire standing six people down on my left. She stretches her arm out as if she's trying to grab me from there. "Stay put! I'll come get you!"

"No…" I shake my head. She can't. I don't want Loire putting herself in danger for me.

The countdown reaches thirty. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight. Each second ticks by faster than I can even think about and the impending reality only looms closer. I force myself to focus on something. What will be my plan? What will I do when the countdown ends? I can't make Loire do everything, I have to provide something for this alliance.

I spot a little blue bag only a few feet away. Perfect. As long as nobody else thinks of grabbing it, then it's mine to scoop up. I know I want to run as far away as possible, but we need supplies to survive.

The countdown reaches twenty. Then fifteen. Loire looks at me and I nod at the bag as if I'm saying that's what I want to grab. She nods back. She's okay with it. Beside me, Grail lowers themself and Hunter slips a leg behind him.

Ten…nine…eight…

It's time to run.

Three…two…one…

A horn plays out and I burst off my pedestal with a dash of speed I never knew I could have in me. I run like hell and my feet begin to burn. I force myself to ignore it. I grab that little blue bag that miraculously, nobody has either seen or cares about. There's a little heft to it, which means something's inside, but it's not as weighed down as I'd like.

"Loire?" I've lost sight of her and I don't know where she went. I pick a direction and run, almost colliding into Messier in the process. He shoves me down and I catch a glimpse of something shiny and silver. It's not Loire's outfit. It's a spear.

Arietis throws it as his allies dash for the Cornucopia. It sails over my head and skewers Tati through the chest. She hasn't moved from her pedestal at all, hands clamped tightly over her ears and tears stream down her face as she screams to block out the noise. The moment the spear pierces her flesh, she crumples in a heap.

I force myself back to my feet and run past the Cornucopia. Vivian throws a knife. It misses me completely and my heart pounds. "Loire! Where are you?"

"Mila!" Someone grabs my shoulder and I shriek. "It's just me," Loire sighs. She has a canteen of water tucked under her arm and carries a dagger in her free hand. It's not going to be enough, but I'm terrified and I don't want to stay here. I spot a crate of dried fruit that Naomi is about to open, when she's suddenly shoved into it by Aisling. The two girls begin to wrestle.

Loire grabs my arm and we run again. Run until we reach one of the four halls that seem to come off this central hub. A map sits on the wall. The rocket ship has three floors: the ground floor contains the centrum we're standing in and all halls lead to observation decks with escape pods lining them. The second floor contains bunks to sleep in, change rooms, and a mess hall. The third floor is the tiniest and is home to a makeshift lab and observatory.

Loire studies the map. "Second. Everyone's going to want to go to the third floor to put as much distance between themselves and the Careers."

I don't question it. I just want to get out of here.

Arietis Rammestien, 18
District 2 Male

I feel a strange rush go through me. Even when skewering lifeless dummies at training, there's still a bit of a challenge. Bodies aren't just made to have weapons go through them like that, and they can take a lot of beatings before it becomes fatal. I should and shouldn't know.

But that kill…was easy. I almost didn't have to think about it. I just knew what I needed to do and I did it. It's a target, so I must hit it; that's the way it always goes in training and here, the moment I've been waiting for all my life, is no different.

I made the first kill of the Games. I made my first kill. And I can do it again.

I don't bother trying to get my bloodied spear back; I'll pick it up later. I just study the situation. Some tributes have already started fleeing. My allies make their way out of the Cornucopia with the weapons they need. Cy hangs back to watch the supplies while the others scatter about. I throw a spear at the boy from 8 as he runs past me. It gets him in the leg, enough to injure but not to kill. He stumbles, but continues to flee and calls out for his allies.

"Fuck," I say out loud. Arietis, now's not the time to be sloppy.

"TATI! NO!"

A loud scream permeates the air and I look over to see that little runt from 10 watching me fearfully, the loaf of bread she's carrying almost forgotten about. I forgot what her name was. Oh yeah, Linh. Anyway, I throw another spear at her and the kid from 3 tackles her to the ground before it can hit. I curse again.

"We gotta go!" Vick yells as they pick her up, and they begin to run. "God fucking damn it," I mutter to myself, scanning the field for who's closest to the other half of their alliance. We are not losing out on easy kills today.
"Vivian! Don't let them get away!"

"On it!" Vivian breaks into a sprint and tackles the boy from 9 to the ground before his ally can reach him. Something else has caught my attention. The girl from 6 lying dead on the ground, stab wounds all over her chest. Aisling's hands are coated in blood and she just stares in horror.

I remember Aisling. Talked a bigger game and couldn't follow through on it. Asked me once or twice to let her into our alliance because no doubt she'd be a good fit. I said no. She went to Prism and they said the same thing.

Now here she is staring at a corpse like a deer in headlights and she looks like she's on the verge of breaking down. Some Career indeed. But by the day's end, it'll all make no difference. I heft the spear that missed earlier.

"Oh God," Aisling says softly. She begins to shake and her voice rises in volume. "Oh my God…oh my God! I killed her! She's dead!"

"And you're next." It's honestly a really dumb move to give away the advantage of surprise and announce my presence like that, but I just can't help myself. They want a performance, I'll give it to them. Aisling looks up at me, then breaks into a run for the nearest hallway.

I lift my spear over my head and get ready for the throw. Aisling is in the perfect range and this time, I'm not going to miss. But before I can do so, a different spear flies into my vision and gets Aisling through the side. She topples over and even from here I can make out her choking on her blood and sobbing loudly.

"I had that kill, just so you know." Don't even have to turn around to see who it is. We trained alongside each other for three months.

"Just trying to help." Olympia shrugs in my general direction before she runs back to the Cornucopia.

"I don't need any help," I scowl. Nobody hears me.

Walker Jeong, 13
District 6 Male

"Stop it! Get off him!"

I grab at Vivian, but she shoves me away and presses the side of her knife blade further into Cameron's neck. Small drops of blood spill down his front. I fall backwards and scramble to my feet again to grab her arm, trying to pull her off Cameron. My hands feel oily ,as if I'm just going to slide right off.

Vivian slices the knife across and tears through Cameron's throat. Cameron makes a loud gurgling noise as he spits up blood all over the front of his chest and I realize that it's the end for him. He's gone. I run.

"Walker!?" Someone shouts my name but I can't see where they are. I run straight into a box of something that's going to be too heavy to lift. Ducking behind it, I carefully peek out and try to spot my allies. Vick is pulling a tearful Linh along; Tati isn't with them. They were supposed to go get her.

This isn't good. Two of us are dead already. We have to leave before the Careers can get the rest of us.

I pop out from behind the crate, pick up the backpack I managed to grab, and run towards Vick. A knife suddenly lands in front of me, forcing me to take a quick detour and I almost bump into Grail. They swing a scythe and I jump out of the way as Prism suddenly appears in my view. I pick up the pace.

Prism's axe meets with Grail's scythe and there's a loud clanging sound. Prism's knee comes up, hitting Grail hard in the stomach and throwing them to the ground. As Prism lifts the axe over their head, someone grabs my wrist and I spin the bag around in an attempt to hit them.

"Woah!" Vick ducks. "Walker, what are you doing?"
"I just…um…I though-"
"Can we please get out of here?" Linh pleads, clinging tightly onto them.

"Yeah, okay. I'll lead the way."

Neither of them protest as we run towards the stairs. I don't really care where they go to, but I want to go as high up and get as far away as possible. Anywhere that's not here is a blessing. My legs feel a slight ache the further we ascend, but I have to ignore it and push on. I yell behind me for Vick to keep up, who's still half carrying Linh with them.
"I'm trying!" they yell back.
"Then try harder!"

Two floors later, this is as high as we can go. The noise from below is gone. I collapse against the wall out of exhaustion and my allies join me. My heart is pounding and my head hurts.

The room is cramped and cluttered, the centerpiece being a giant telescope pointed at a window that takes up the entire wall. IThankfully, the window keeps the place lit despite the lack of lights. A bunch of desks with computers and other equipment on them are scattered around the room. It's not a very big space to begin with, but it suddenly feels smaller and smaller with each passing second.

Linh makes a strained noise that sounds half like sobbing, half like screaming. Vick clutches their knees close to their chest. "What was that? What was that!?"

"We'll be okay," I say, trying to convince myself as much as my allies. "Three of us made it through. We can still do this."

'What are we supposed to do?" Vick asks.
"Um…we can look through the telescope?" That seems like really the only thing we can do in here. The Gamemakers wouldn't have included the telescope if they didn't think it was important, so therefore we need to use it. Vick just lets out a sigh.

"We'll do it later," I suggest. I get no further comments or complaints.

Reggie Baxter, 18
District 12 Male

I had a plan. Kerkylas wanted to join the fray in an attempt to get supplies. Garnet wanted to stay out of it. I knew damn well Kerkylas wouldn't grab anything but weapons so that leaves me to pick up the slack and collect actual supplies.

I open up my empty bag and begin shoving anything I can inside. I manage to fit in some packs of dried fruit, a canteen of water, and a dagger. But that's never going to be enough for three people and I glance around to see what's left. A first aid kit. Perfect.

I dash for it, hearing Garnet cry out in pain somewhere in the carnage. My heart quickens and I run faster. Is he hurt? Already? Fuck, if something bad happens and I of all people can't do anything to heal him-

Ascella grabs onto the first aid kit and tries to rip it from my hands. "Please, I need this-"
"Don't you dare!" I yell back. Ascella jumps and I send my knee into eir chest. I feel a small pang of guilt, knowing I really shouldn't have done that, but does it matter? It's a fight for survival and if everyone else can play dirty, I should be allowed to as well. Ascella will walk it off or something; it's not my problem at all.

I see Hunter approach with a sword and I just turn around to snarl at him. If I can use my age and strength to my advantage, then I will. Hunter just mutters a "fuck this" and turns to run. Ascella follows him. That's a great idea. I run too.

Because Kerkylas is in the middle of a fistfight with Ganbataar and that stupid boy might actually get himself killed ten minutes into the goddamn arena. Having allies feels like herding cats. For fuck's sake, must I be the one to do anything productive?

Change of plans: I have to collect Kerkylas before I can collect Garnet. As I hurry towards the fight, I feel my foot slip out from underneath me on some kind of puddle. I look down and immediately, I wish I hadn't.

Grail's stomach and chest have been torn completely to shreds of flesh, their insides absolutely mangled with their guts spilling outside of their body. The blood leaking from their wounds stains the bottom of my shoe. God, it's absolutely disgusting. I don't want to look back, but the image might be forever stuck in my head.

"Kerkylas! Drop it and let's go!"

Kerkylas lunges at Ganbataar with a sword, who blocks it with a hatchet. "Leave me alone! I can win this!"
"We don't have time!"

Ganbataar knocks the sword from Kerkylas's hands and lunges at him. Most of the tributes have fled already, leaving just us and the Careers still fighting at the Cornucopia. I curse quietly to myself and tackle Ganbataar.

Ganbataar drops his axe and stumbles a bit, which is all Kekrylas needs to shove him down and climb on top of him. He grabs the straps of the backpack and wraps them tightly around Ganbataar neck, the fabric digging tightly into skin. He begins to pull.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Garnet hobbling into view and I wince. His leg doesn't look very good with how he drags it behind him. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can try to heal it. And I'm willing to leave Kerkylas behind.

Garnet shakes his head. Fuck. Why does he have to be so nice? I make a halfhearted attempt to pull Kerkylas off the struggling Ganbataar. He has pinned Ganbataar's arms down with his legs and any fight he puts up is easily quelled.

"Kerkylas, let's go!"
"Fuck off, you pansy. I had that fight and you ruined it!"
"You didn't have shit! We need to leave before-"

A spear embeds itself in the ground beside me. Arietis has seen us. I just glare at Kerkylas, who thankfully gets the hint. He loosens the straps and slips the bag onto his shoulder. Ganbataar weakly reaches for his axe, which I nab instead and pull out of his sight. Kerkylas suddenly stabs Ganbataar in the stomach.

"Okay. Let's bolt."

I let Garnet lean against me for support and we trail after Kerkylas. I don't know where he wants to take us. It might not matter. I hear six cannons fire as we escape and my ears begin to ring. Six isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things. Now, it feels like way too much. Too many dead bodies on the ground.

Alliances:

Careers: Prism, Vivian, Arietis, Olympia, Cy, Avonlea

M is for Mannly: Garnet, Kerkylas, Reggie

Hunter and Gatherer: Ascella, Hunter

Dreamers: Mila, Loire

Well, This Sucks: Vick, Walker, Linh

Loners: Messier, Cora

Kills:

Prism: 1 (Grail)

Vivian: 1 (Cameron)

Arietis: 1 (Tati)

Olympia: 1 (Aisling)

Aisling: 1 (Naomi)

Kerkylas: 1 (Ganbataar)

24th place: Tati Vey, District 12. Skewered by Arietis.

I didn't want to just write her off because of her age and character, but I knew this arena would definitely not be in Tati's advantage. The relative smallness and tightness would've been a miserable landscape for her, and the chaos of the Bloodbath was just too much to bear. I always felt bad for Tati because she just never had the chance to be as well-equipped as she could've been and it seemed like a slightly kinder fate to kill her quick than draw out any suffering she'd go through. Thanks for her, Silver!

23rd place: Naomi Bishop, District 6. Stabbed repeatedly by Aisling.

Colder and more standoffish tributes are occasionally fun to write because in a story where everyone wants to make allies and be friends, they don't care what anyone else thinks. Ultimately, it meant Naomi had nobody else to trust when it came to the arena. Her tendencies to keep to herself made her a little hard to fit in, because I didn't really know what kind of dynamics she could've had with other tributes and Aisling just kinda dealt her a bad hand. Thanks for her, D9T!

22nd place: Aisling Trier, District 7. Speared through the side by Olympia.

It almost seems like a bit of poetic justice for Aisling to regret her actions and get killed as a comeuppance, even if she didn't truly deserve that. I love feisty kids like her, especially once they get a rude awakening and realize that the Games are not fun and the reality is, people will die. Aisling had a lot of big ideas about what she'd do in the Games, but the brutality of it was a huge shock to her and she didn't see it coming. Thanks for her LCS, and thanks for reminding us all that dead children is nowhere near as fun as the Games make it sound.

21st place: Cameron Solidago, District 9. Throat slit by Vivian.

The first of the featured tributes to fall. I always loved writing Cameron because he provided such a unique perspective on innocence: he was not ignorant, naïve, or sheltered. He knew about the hardships of reality in Panem. But even then, he was exposed to way too much for someone so young and all he truly wanted was to just be a child and enjoy life as it came. Out of all the featured tributes, I think he's one of the best to represent his associated zodiac sign. Sweet dreams, little Virgo.

20th place: Grail Drowen, District 9. Chest and stomach torn open by Prism.

A bit of a gruesome death here and I guess I kinda feel bad. Grail was another loner and like Naomi, super shafted by the format of this story. Also a very secluded person, I struggled finding ways to bring them into the spotlight through tribute interactions and dynamics. But they were very determined to get back home and if that meant they had to kill, they were willing to do so. I love strong outliers like Grail because they make things more unpredictable. Thanks for them, Willuna!

19th place: Ganbataar Tarkhan, District 5. Strangled and stabbed by Kerkylas.

An outlier Career who didn't really wanna become a Career in the first place and then kinda sorta got voluntold to join. Ganbataar is probably the only tribute to do a drastic change in terms of the district he was originally sent to and the one he ended up in, so that does wind up in his character feeling a little stilted. I went back and forth on what to do with him in regards to how he would play in an alliance he didn't want to be a part of. His death here leads to a dramatic shift in the Career power dynamics and I think that'll be interesting to explore. But Ganbataar was a fun tribute and I always like seeing bird associations in SYOTs; who doesn't love birds? Thanks for him, Evan!

And after a year and a few months, we finally reach the Bloodbath. Oh yes, and spaceship arena; I've been waiting for this moment for so long. I've wanted to do the spaceship arena so badly I talked LCS out of using it lmao.

I hope you all enjoyed this behemoth of a chapter and all the dead kids, which I know is what half of you are really here for anyway. If you want more DoaS content, the blog has been seeing an explosion in recent activity, so check out everything that gets posted on there!

Sponsoring time! DM me here or on Discord to send in your sponsor gifts! Information was posted in the previous chapter but if you need clarification on something, don't be afraid to hit me up.

I will see you in September with the first of the arena chapters,

-Vr