The next morning, the tributes were woken up early and taken to a waiting hovercraft. The Gamemakers strapped them into their chairs and went around injecting trackers into each tribute's arm. Elsa also received an implant along with her tracker. "This is to restrain your powers," the Gamemakers explained. "The Capitol decided you would have an unfair advantage."
Elsa didn't fight it. She glanced over at Éponine. "I should have expected this. I was forced to keep my powers hidden as a little girl. People always fear what they don't understand. This implant," she held up her arm, "just shows that even the Capitol fears me!"
Then the hovercraft lifted off. Before long, the lights went dark, a sign that they were nearing the arena. Éponine's heart beat faster and faster. The time was growing nearer and nearer. She really hoped she wouldn't have to kill anyone. She reminded herself that at least Azelma wasn't here and didn't have to make these decisions.
The hovercraft landed, and the characters were led to the Launch Room. They stood on platforms that would soon rise up to the playing field. Clear plastic tubes enclosed around them. They felt themselves rising up, and were presented with an arena of a pine forest. In front of them was a large metal structure with weapons, supplies, and food arranged both inside and around the mouth—-the Cornucopia. Cato and Clove exchanged a look that said, "This looks very familiar." Indeed, the only thing that seemed to be different from the arena of the 74th Hunger Games was the roaring sound that indicated there was a waterfall somewhere in the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Fandom Games begin!" The large clock above the Cornucopia began the countdown from sixty. The characters were poised on the balls of their feet, ready to spring into action, but making sure not to step off their pedestal too soon. None of them wanted to be blown to bits.
Pierre and Esmeralda made eye contact. He gestured towards the woods with his head, and Esmeralda nodded in understanding.
Other characters sought out the weapons they would run for. There was a sturdy oak bow; Tauriel would obviously want that. Clove had her eye on a set of throwing knives. There were plenty of swords for Edmund, Boromir, and Cato. A spear lay in the entrance of the Cornucopia, in front of a rack of short swords and daggers. And of course, there were backpacks of varying sizes and colors arranged in an arc in front of the Cornucopia. Each one contained items that would be necessary for survival in these woods.
Hundreds of people—-citizens of Panem, the tributes' families, friends, and loved ones, watched and counted down the final seconds on the clock. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. The gong sounded, and it was a race to the Cornucopia.
With the exception of Pierre and Esmeralda, all the characters ran to grab weapons and supplies. Mirabel picked up a crossbow and sleeping bag and started to go for a backpack that surely held a supply of food, but decided against it when Fezzik started chasing her with a mace in hand. Buttercup was quickly shot down by Tauriel. Fflewddur Fflam tried to grab the same sword Hans was after, but Hans wrestled it from the bard's grasp and made him his first kill. Seeing this, Elsa hurled a spear at Hans's heart. Eilonwy made it to the Cornucopia, but wisely decided to lay low until she was sure the bloodbath was over. Cato and Clove got their specialty weapons, some water bottles, and packages of food. To Enjolras's delight, there were different types of guns in the stash of weapons. He picked out a handgun for self-defense and a rifle for hunting. He also made sure to take plenty of extra ammunition. Edmund and Lucy were a team, obviously; he chose weapons for both of them while Lucy grabbed as much food and water as she could. Boromir took a sword and a red backpack, and fled with Eowyn into the forest.
"That was a boring start to the Games!" a Gamemaker complained. "There were only three deaths in the bloodbath!"
"Be patient with them," Tyler Ranthon, Head Gamemaker, admonished. "Most of these tributes have never done anything like this before. They'll get used to it before long. And if not, there's always the means to encourage them."
Eilonwy cautiously poked her head out of her hiding spot. It looked safe, but she decided to wait until she was positive the situation was clear. At long last, she crept out of the Cornucopia.
"Trying to be sneaky, are we?" a female voice taunted. A girl with dark brown hair in a bubble ponytail lunged forward and held a knife to Eilonwy's throat. "Well, it was a good try!"
A boy with close-cropped blond hair walked up behind the girl. He regarded Eilonwy as if he were searching for something. "Clove has a point. You almost escaped us. If we hadn't decided to double back to the Cornucopia, you would have gotten away."
Clove looked eager to slit Eilonwy's throat. "Just say the word, Cato," she urged, not breaking eye contact with the other girl.
"No, Clove," Cato said. "She'll be useful for stealth missions. What's your name, girl?"
"Eilonwy," she replied, making an effort not to show the fear she felt.
"I'll make a deal with you, Eilonwy. You join us and help by taking useful things from the other tributes. In return, we'll let you stay alive—-for a little while, at least. How does that sound?"
Eilonwy was just thankful they were letting her live at all. "It's a deal."
A/N: I'm providing recaps of what happens each day of the Games to make it easier for you guys to keep track. Also, it would be really nice to let me know how you're liking this story by leaving a review! You def don't have to review each chapter, but just a quick, "Hey I really enjoy this, can't wait to see what happens next!" would make my day! I will take anything, even constructive criticism!
Recap-Day 1: Three bloodbath deaths: (Buttercup, Fflewddur, and Hans). Eilonwy hides in the Cornucopia, allies with Cato and Clove.
BTW, every time I type Buttercup's name, I think of Prim's cat lol.