Aurelius Charmichael, 17

District 1 Male

By the time we had to go down to the Training Center, the apartment was a disaster. Not physically, but emotionally. Becky had accused Twilight of playing favorites and breakfast devolved into a screaming match. Elegance jumped to Twilight's defense while Gloss just sat back and sipped his coffee. I didn't have a clue about what to do, so I followed my mentor's lead and watched. It ended with Becky storming off to her room with Twilight rushing after her, telling her it was time for training.

The tension in the elevator was almost unbearable. Becky was still fuming and I was terrified to confront her. I was afraid of very few things, but an angry woman was not someone to be trifled with. And Becky was a known bully. Viola had come to me and my other girl friends in tears after a confrontation with Becky several times.

But if she kept up her bad behavior, it could jeopardize our standing in the Career Pack. District loyalty was important to me, but Becky was an insufferable district partner. I had to say something.

"Becky," I said as the elevator came to a stop. "I know you don't get along with Twilight or our mentors, but you have to be nice to the other Careers." Huffing in anger, Becky blew a strand of pink hair out of her face and turned to glare at me.

"I don't have to do anything," she growled. "And I certainly don't have to take orders from you. So why don't you shut up and worry about yourself?"

My jaw dropped. No one had ever spoken to me that way before! How dare she? I was about to yell right back when the elevator doors opened. All eyes would be on us if I started shouting. And Becky knew this. She flashed me a smug smile before flipping her hair and strolling out of the elevator. I had to scramble to follow her.

Donquixote and Artemis were already talking with Lotus. Crash was stretching, clearly showing off xir bulging muscles. Xey winked when they saw me staring and I waved. Don greeted me with a nod and I smiled at him as well before breaking away from my allies.

I decided to go to the sword station. I was mostly a ranged fighter - throwing knives were my specialty - but it didn't hurt to have a weapon ready should close combat come up. I picked up a short, light weapon and fell into a familiar fighting stance.

I slashed and stabbed at a dummy, relishing in the ripping of fabric. I was one of the best, and I knew it. The Academy did too. There was a reason I was chosen to volunteer a year early. The other boys simply couldn't go the distance.

I caught sight of Taffeta in my peripheral vision. She was smiling and twirling her ponytail around her finger. Her nails were painted yellow to match her uniform. Every district had colored accents on their black training uniforms. District 8 was yellow. District 1 was pink.

"Hey," she said with a giggle. I lowered my weapon.

"Hey yourself."

"You're really good with a sword," she gushed. "Could you teach me?"

"Oh! Yeah, I can show you the basics."

"Great!"

Taffeta selected a light sword off the rack of weapons and came over to me. She smelled like lavender.

"What do we do first?" she asked in a low voice. I set my sword down and nudged her feet further apart.

"You need to have a sturdy stance," I explained. "But be ready to move quickly."

"Alright." Her voice was nearly a purr as she leaned back into my chest. My brow furrowed for a moment, but I forged on.

I showed her how to properly grip the handle of the sword and how to strike and lunge. She was quick but her moves were a bit sloppy. But it was what I would expect from a beginner.

After our short lesson, Taffeta set down her sword with a sigh.

"Thanks so much! I'll be right back. I just need to get some water. I'm hot!" She giggled before heading towards the water fountain.

"That's not cool, man," Crash said, coming up behind me. I whipped around in surprise to find xem and Becky watching me.

"What?"

"Romance in the Games is a bad idea. Even a casual fling can result in attachment." I shot xem a puzzled look.

"Oh, you're one to talk about attachment," Becky snapped. "You and Lotus are connected at the hip. Also, Aurelius is gay."

"Oh!" Crash said. "That explains a lot."

"Why is my sexuality relevant right now?" I asked.

"Because Taffeta is shamelessly flirting with you," Becky said, her voice completely deadpan.

"What? No she's not."

"Dude, you two were practically grinding," Crash said with a laugh. I felt heat rise to my cheeks.

"That's not– I didn't mean–"

"It doesn't really matter what you meant," Crash pointed out. "You're still leading her on, whether you intended to or not."

"Just tell her," Becky put in. "It's better to go into the Games with a clear head and a clear conscience."

I was tempted to ask her if her conscience was clear, but I thought better of it. Crash also had an amused look on xir face, as if they were thinking the same thing. But xey stayed silent too.

"I'll tell her," I sighed. "Sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for," Crash said, in contradiction with xir earlier statement. "Just don't succumb to her feminine wiles."

"He won't," Becky said to xem. Then she turned to me. "You're welcome."

"Thanks," I said begrudgingly. Crash shot me another wink before xey and Becky headed for the obstacle course. I groaned. What had I gotten myself into?

Taffeta Katz, 18

District 8 Female

I tied my hair back up in a ponytail and let out a sigh. My muscles were more sore than I expected. I was used to a different kind of physical activity. But I could handle this. When Dacron came to say goodbye to me, he promised he'd pull some strings to get me the best possible treatment. And that included a higher training score and guaranteed sponsor gifts. I might not be as strong as the Careers, but I was just as valuable.

And things with Aurelius were going wonderfully. He was such a little puppy dog; he loved praise, he followed me eagerly, and he'd do anything for a treat. And I was planning to give him one. If he behaved himself, of course.

Finished with my hair, I walked back to the swords station, subtly swaying my hips as I went. But Aurelius was facing away from me, staring silently at the dummies.

"What's wrong, handsome?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He jumped a little.

"Oh! I didn't realize you were back!" He began to nervously wring his hands and I took them in my own. But he pulled away.

"I appreciate all the compliments," he stuttered. "And you're very pretty. But… I'm gay."

I stared at him as a feeling of horror washed over me. What had I done?

"Oh!" I giggled, fighting for composure. "My mistake."

"It's alright," Aurelius said, sounding relieved.

"I'm going to try throwing some knives now," I said. "But thanks for the sword fighting lesson!" He nodded as I sped away.

I ducked behind some of the fake trees at the camouflage station and leaned my head against the plastic bark. I majorly screwed up. Aurelius didn't seem too bothered by my mistake, but the miscalculation could have completely ruined my strategy.

Anger bubbled in my gut as I forcefully kicked over a can of goopy brown paint. It splashed everywhere, making the trainer yelp in surprise. But I dashed towards the bathroom, desperately fighting back tears.

I locked the bathroom door behind me and sank to the floor. I was going to die! I didn't have a strong boy to protect me anymore. I was the girl everyone wanted. But I put my faith in the one person who didn't.

Eventually, my tears stopped flowing. I wiped my nose on my sleeve and went to check my appearance in the mirror. I was a mess. My mascara was running and my lipstick was smudged. The sight brought on a new bout of tears.

What was I supposed to do? I looked like an idiot. Aurelius was probably out there telling all the Careers what I did. I was doomed.

I grabbed a paper towel and began dabbing at my eyes when an idea sprung up. 'I looked like an idiot', I thought again. I could play that up. I could be the dumb little girl who giggled and flirted and didn't seem like a threat. I didn't need Aurelius to protect me because I could get someone better. Donquixote's teasing tone when he called me 'baby girl' came back to me. If he wanted to play the game, he was going to learn that I was a master.

I wiped away my mascara and lipstick and splashed water on my face to erase the tear stains as best I could. I didn't look great, but it would have to do for now. Maybe Lotus would have some makeup? Zir eyeliner was amazing.

Taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders, I unlocked the bathroom door and stepped back into the Training Center. I caught sight of Becky sparring with a trainer and I remembered her challenge. I had to kill a tribute in the bloodbath or I was screwed. Literally.

I spotted a rack of shiny stiletto knives that were practically calling my name. With a smirk and some newfound confidence, I strutted over to the station and picked up the prettiest blade and turned to the trainer.

"Teach me how to use this."

Anastasia Willows, 17

District 5 Female

I knew it was silly to avoid a station because of the trainer. I knew. But the trainer at the throwing knife station was the most annoying woman to ever walk the earth. Her voice was high and squeaky and she called everyone "honey" or "sweetheart". And she wasn't even good.

I ground my teeth as I watched her, barely paying attention to the half-built fire in front of me. I'd been hiding at this station all morning and made almost no progress. All I was succeeding at was annoying myself.

"What's up?" a familiar voice asked. I turned to see my district partner Isaac plop down beside me.

"Oh, nothing. Just that I will never learn to throw knives because the trainer is a piece of human garbage. What's up with you?"

Isaac snorted and added a few sticks to my fire.

"So, are you going to face her or keep pouting?"

"I am not pouting!" I protested. Isaac glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Right… So, should we go over there and annoy her?"

I blinked at him in surprise.

"What?"

"Do you want to go over there and give her a taste of her own medicine?" A smirk replaced my frown.

"Absolutely."

We left my half-built fire and headed across the room. The trainer looked up as we approached, her bubblegum-pink lips stretching into a grotesquely sweet smile.

"Hello my loves!" she giggled. "Here to learn some knife skills? Well, we'll have you two in top shape in no time! After all, I'm the best trainer in all of Panem."

"According to who?" Isaac asked. She shot him a confused look.

"I'm sorry?"

"Who says you're the best?"

"Well… several Hunger Games blogs have mentioned me. And Head Gamemaker Fox personally gave me the job. But I doubt you district folk would be impressed by that."

"You're right," I said, jumping in. "We're not. Now, are you going to give us some pointers or should we figure it out ourselves?"

"I think we're better off doing it ourselves," Isaac replied. "Unless you think you can put your money where your mouth is…"

"Of course I can!" the trainer snapped. She snatched a knife off the rack and flung it at the target. The handle hit first and it bounced onto the floor. Tears filled her unnaturally green eyes and she brushed them away angrily. I picked up a knife and settled into a throwing stance. I took a deep breath and released it before whipping the blade into the target. It landed with a thump in the middle of the second ring. Then I turned triumphantly to her while Isaac applauded enthusiastically.

The trainer opened her mouth, presumably to cuss us out, but then the bell rang for lunch. I shot her a proud smirk before joining the lunch line with my district partner.

"That was great," he said with a laugh. I giggled too. He picked up a bowl of tomato soup and I chose chicken noodle. Then I followed him to a table on the far side of the room.

I wasn't quite sure why I was hanging out with him. In the Hunger Games, there was only one victor. And I wasn't entirely sure if Isaac's whole 'nice guy' thing was an act or not. He was cold and surly on the train and we rarely spoke up in our apartment on the fifth floor. Why was he choosing now to be friends?

Having an ally was useful in some situations, but I felt like it would be more of a burden than an asset. It was another thing to watch for in the arena and if my ally wasn't contributing to the alliance, I'd have to pick up the slack. And I simply didn't trust any of the other tributes. No, my mind was made up. I would be civil with Isaac, but I wouldn't get close to him. Connections would be a liability.

The rest of lunch passed in silence. But when the avoxes came around to collect our dishes, I gave Isaac's shoulder a light punch.

"That was fun," I told him. Then I winked before heading towards my nemesis again.

Aurelius, the handsome boy from District 1, was already there. He was whipping blade after blade through the air and into the target. The trainer was gushing over him, complimenting his stance and his strength as well as his good looks and natural charm. I rolled my eyes, not bothering to hide my disdain.

I collected a handful of knives and fell into position. Glancing at Aurelius, I copied his stance and began to throw. I could feel the trainer watching me but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I was going to succeed.

Aspen Hayes, 15

District 7 Female

Back at home, I was lucky enough to always have plenty to eat. And Cora was an excellent cook, but nothing could compare to the rich, extravagant Capitol food. Lunch today was creamy clam chowder and warm, fresh buttered bread. Birch's expression when he ate the first spoonful was priceless. He was always so stoic, so the expression of pure bliss was a nice change. But I kept myself from laughing. I had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate that.

The pair from 5 were sitting at the table closest to us. They weren't talking, but they seemed comfortable with each other. The girl made me nervous. She was about my height but two years older, and she had lots of piercings and a fierce expression. Isaac, her district partner, seemed much nicer.

He was thin, but had some muscles. His eyes were deep and warm and delightfully brown and his wispy hair looked like it would be the softest thing in the world. There was no use denying it; I had a crush on Isaac.

I knew the Hunger Games were not the right setting for romance. But I couldn't get rid of the butterflies in my stomach when I looked at him. I wanted him to ally with us. It would be a good excuse to be close to him and to learn all about him. So I decided to ask Birch what he thought.

"Birch?" I asked. My ally looked up from his last bite of soup.

"What?"

"Yesterday you said you would be okay with us having another ally. Are you still okay with that?"

"As long as we work well together, then yes," he said, repeating his statement from the day before.

"Okay. There's someone I would like to talk to then."

"Alright. Let me know how it goes." He flashed me a strained smile as the lunch bell rang.

Avoxes came around to clear our dishes and I thanked them before slyly following Isaac back into the main room. He walked towards the fire-making station and I trailed behind him.

The trainer welcomed me kindly as Isaac crouched down and began to work on a structure of twigs. He must have been to this station before. I did my best to listen to the trainer, but I was distracted by the boy next to me. When she told me to try building a fire for myself, I blanked. I turned to ask for help again but she had moved on to helping the boy from 8.

I picked up a few sticks and leaned them together. Then I added a few handfuls of pine needles and frowned. This was pathetic. I was about to tear it down and start over when Isaac's hand began scraping the pine needles away.

"Pine needles aren't good fire fuel," he said. "Thin, dry twigs are best but dry moss can work too."

"Thanks," I whispered.

"And you need to put the big sticks closer together, and they should be more horizontal. Your whole structure will collapse if you balance them like that."

At that point, I felt as if the heat in my cheeks was enough to start the fire. I brushed a loose strand of blonde hair out of my face and began to help him rearrange the sticks. Once it was to his liking, he handed me a box of matches. I struck one and gently set the flame to the moss. It started to burn.

"Thank you! You're so good at this!" Isaac smiled.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're very nice too," I added, and suddenly the words wouldn't stop pouring out. "And very handsome. I like your eyes and your hair, and–"

Isaac cut me off with a laugh.

"I get it," he said. He was trying to smile, but he looked sad.

"I'm sorry!" I gasped. "I don't know why I said that. I mean, I wasn't making it up, but I shouldn't have said it."

"It's alright," he reassured me. "You just… you remind me of Skylar.

"Who's Skylar?"

"My girlfriend. She was reaped last year. She died in the bloodbath."

"Oh no… I'm so sorry." I placed a hand on his shoulder, unsure of how to comfort him but desperately feeling the need to.

"It's alright," he mumbled. "And anyways, it's not your fault."

"I know… but I wanted to say something."

"I appreciate it."

Isaac removed my hand from his shoulder and began to stand but I reached up to grab his wrist.

"Wait! Do you want to ally with me and my district partner Birch?" He blinked down at me in shock.

"I– maybe? I think I should ask my mentor first."

"Oh… that's a good idea," I said, slightly deflated. "Well, just let us know. Birch is very nice and we'd love to work with you."

"Okay," Isaac said. This time, I let him go.

Once he was at a different station, I ran to find Birch.

"Birch!" I called when I spotted him holding a hatchet. He turned to me and raised a hand in greeting.

"I found us an ally," I gushed. "His name is Isaac and he's from District 5 and he's really nice. He said his girlfriend died in the Games last year and he misses her, and I think we should be nice to him. And he's very good at making fires."

"His girlfriend died in the Games?" Birch repeated. His eyebrows were raised and I couldn't quite decipher the look on his face.

"Yes."

"He's perfect…" Birch said in a low whisper. I cocked my head.

"What? Why?"

"Oh! Because, um, because he's lost someone he loved. Like we both did."

I wanted to ask Birch who he'd lost, but something in his eyes told me I shouldn't. I had mentioned my mom the train, when Blight complimented my necklace. It used to be hers and I wore it to always have a piece of her with me.

I shook myself out of my thoughts as Birch threw a hatchet into a target. It landed with a thud in the yellow ring around the bullseye. He frowned, but stepped away when I went to pick up a weapon of my own.

The memories of birdsong and cool morning air washed over me as I threw my axe. Bullseye. The best throw I ever made. The trainer praised me as I flushed and thanked him. Maybe, with Birch and Isaac by my side, I stood a chance.

Saigon Kane, 17

District 11 Tribute

As much as I was trying to push them away, Chaff's words were firmly implanted in my brain. He'd warned me to be careful of my alliance and now I was stressed. Brady seemed nice, but something about Mac made me wary. I didn't think she trusted me, and I wasn't sure if I should trust her.

Having allies could prove to be very useful. And if I broke off the alliance now, Mac and Brady might be upset. They could target me in the arena. Why was this decision proving to be so hard?

I set down the branch I was holding and stalked away from the shelter-building station in frustration. I shouldn't be agonizing over an alliance. But then again, my choices from here on could affect whether I lived or died.

I fingered my token nervously; my mom's silver wedding ring. She insisted I take it when she and the rest of my family came to say goodbye. I remembered how everyone cried, even my dad, and how my mom held me like I was a baby again.

Dizziness suddenly washed over me and I leaned against the wall. For the first time, the reality of the situation was hitting me. I was in the Hunger Games. I could be dead in less than a week.

I forced myself to take several deep breaths to steady myself. I couldn't afford to freak out. I had to be calm and composed and logical. I was a sturdy teen who worked hard and could handle a blade. I honestly might stand a chance. I just had to be smart.

Feeling slightly calmer, I went to get a drink of water. I would work with Brady and Mac, but I would keep them at arm's length. I wasn't stupid enough to think they would choose me over each other. But if I continued to be useful, they would have no reason to get rid of me. I had to be friendly, but cautious.

"Saigon?" someone said from behind me, making me jump a little. A trainer was standing nearby with a shy smile on his face.

"Yeah?" I asked, wiping my mouth on my sleeve.

"It's time for you to run the gauntlet."

"Oh."

I looked nervously at the obstacle course on the far side of the room. I was strong from working in the fields, but I had no idea how my balance was, or if I would be fast enough. But I followed the trainer over to the course.

Brady and the pair from 12 were also waiting nearby. We got into a line in reverse district order and Marjoram was instructed to go. She fell several times, but kept going. But her time was definitely not very impressive.

Arawn did better. He was quick and had good upper body strength. The trainer took note of his time and then nodded to me. I cautiously stepped up to the starting mat and squared my shoulders.

When the timer buzzed I dashed forward. My focus was solely on the ropes and beams and monkey bars. I had no idea how fast I was going, but I managed to make it to the end without falling. I was breathing hard by the time I was done. And Brady flashed me a thumbs up before beginning his run.

I watched him move through the course with ease, ire growing in my belly. He was a lot taller than I was so it was easier for him. And he was thin and had long legs, so he could run faster. It was unfair!

'A stupid gauntlet challenge isn't an accurate reflection of your skills', I reminded myself. I should just be proud of what I achieved. Dad always said I put too much pressure on myself. Oliver often told me I was too competitive. I thought back to my earlier commitment to stay level-headed. Comparing myself to Brady would get me nowhere. But I couldn't fight back the jealousy that was beginning to fester.

Hi everyone! Here I am, back with another chapter. It's the second day of training and alliances are being formed... and broken. And maybe even regretted. I had lots of fun exploring the different character dynamics here, especially between the Careers. This Pack is going to be an interesting one. Please leave a review and let me know what your thoughts are! Anything you'd like to see more or less of?

Also, I want to shoutout my friend Cassy's new SYOT. It's called In Plain Sight: The 99th Hunger Games. Her username is Kkstar47. Go submit if you can! And I will finally reveal Jay and Leona's character inspirations, since I've forgotten to for multiple chapters. They are based on Jayfeather and Lionblaze from the Warriors series. Good job to those of you who guessed it.

Questions

1) Whose POV was your favorite? Why?

2) Can Taffeta recover from her mistake?

3) Will Isaac ally with the 7s?

4) Should Saigon keep their alliance with the 9s?

5) Who is your favorite tribute from each of the alliances, including the Loners? (besides your own, obviously)

Alliances

The Careers: Becky, Aurelius, Artemis, Donquixote, Crash, Lotus, Taffeta

Unnamed: Kairos, Leona, Jay

Honoring The Lost: Aspen, Birch

Deranged & Confused: Calceus, Freya

The Power Couple (and Saigon): Mac, Brady, Saigon

Loners: Robyn, Anastasia, Isaac, Brielle, Andy, Marjoram, Arawn

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona