The 122nd Annual Hunger Games: The Anti-Careers

An Awkward Beginning to Training

XIV, i - Araina Sient, District 12 Female

The head trainer had her arms folded, her toe vigorously tapping the floor while a bitter frown of annoyance punched her face. "District 6," the began stern. "Where is the male tribute?" Every word had a cutting break in between them.

The District 6 mentor simply shrugged. "I told you, we sent the tower guards on a goose chase for him." He stroked his stubble. "But I feel he should be here any second now."

"Who's missing?" I mumbled to myself, annoyed because I wanted to start training. I knew it was the District 6 male but I thought I had studied all of thereaping tapes very carefully and couldn't remember the person specifically.

Seconds after the mentor claimed he would show up, a young teenage boy scrambled through the front doors of the training hall and fell straight on his face. Oh. That weird kid from District 6. The one who yelled at someone in the crowd when I watched the reaping tape. Following the boy were three tower guards, out of breath. The boy must have led them on a wild goose chase indeed.

"Ah, there you are, Nicholas!" the mentor boomed, a wheezy cough escaping his aged body. I considered maybe everyone in District 6 was weird and odd.

"W-where am I?" he asked nervous, his eyes scanning the entire room in two seconds.

"I'm your mentor, now chill- "

"Get away from me!" he yelled as the mentor reached for him.

"I'll handle it," the mentor said. "He was having nightmares last night. Just continue on with training."

"Ugh, whatever," replied the head trainer. "Anyways, all I really have to say is that you'll have three days to train here. Be here at ten in the morning every day and you're free to do whatever you want, so use you time wisely! Be friendly to the survival stations because you can't fight if you're dead, am I right? Now get going. Your mentors can answer most other questions."

She let us go, ushering us away from her.

I first went to the resources station. I was alone other than the lady who informed me about retrieving water and uses of random materials you could find in the arena. I figured that if I was going to be running around with stupid items then I'd better learn what to do with them. I could see a few of the Careers, specifically District 2 and 4 but not 1, taking it seriously that year, actually going to some of the survival stations. It was annoying to already see them all talking to each other and building their alliance. I realized that soon I would need to do something of the same as well.

My district partner went straight for the weapons; at least in District 12 we knew a few more things than others about survival. He seemed very fascinated with the hand axes and smaller but deadly weapons. It was another mental note to put in my head, if he even made it as far as I was planning to in The Hunger Games.

-o-o-o-o-o-

XIV, ii - Rebekah Taylor, District 7 Female

"Evan!" I cried out, annoyed. "Are you even going to do anything besides sit at this table and stare at all the other tributes." He didn't respond. Didn't even look at me. "Evan!" I shouted louder but remained out of attention.

Finally, he muttered something that sounded vexed. "I really hate him," were his words with a space dividing each one.

"What?" I mumbled confused.

"I. Really. Hate. Him," he grunted. "That idiot. That annoying privileged boy from District 1."

"Now, what was his name?" I questioned, looking up for the answer.

"It's the worst name there is. Castle. What idiots names their kid Castle? I'd feel bad for him but he's living up to that same ignorance."

I looked over to where he and the girl from his District were testing out the weapons from the close range station. They were testing out all of the them, and I mean all of them, even the ones they obviously would never pick up in the arena.

"Evan, isn't there something better you could be doing if you're not going to go to any stations?"

"Oh, I'm doing something important."

"Like what?"

"You see them?" he began, pointing out all six Career tributes. "The Capitol loves them, always, but don't you think they ever get bored of them?"

I could sense he was cooking up a plan for the games. "What are you getting at?"

"Rebekah, I'm not gonna say you and I aren't good competitors. You and I have been chopping trees since we were eleven with the same axes and hatchets they have here, and we're good at climbing trees."

"Yeah!" I exclaimed. "But what does that have to do with the Capitol getting bored of the Careers?"

"Simple. We make our own alliance, one that specifically forces us and the Careers to struggle with each other, competing to be better. You know the Capitol loves a good show."

"We'll that means we have to find more people to join our alliance, right?"

"Right, Rebekah!" He let his face fall to the table. "Except for I can't think of anybody who would join or who we should even ask," he added, his tone almost reflecting crying.

I stared around the room. Who would actually join the alliance? Districts 1, 2, and 4 were clearly off limits. Most other people were either off in their own world training by themselves or lost and confused, not knowing what to do. I left Evan to himself to think and strategize while I wandered around in hopes to find someone who would want to join, but it had to be someone good.

For a while, I stopped at stations where people would be such as the knives where the District 3 boy was and the ranged weapons station where District 11 was at. Soon, I ended up at the food station to learn about gathering and finding food. With me were the tributes from District 8.

"But just remember this berry; its poisonous and will kill you in a minute," the instructor said to end the lecture. "Now, you three should probably just explore the books here and read more yourself."

The boy turned to me, Stephen Harris. "Hey," he began nervous. "I overheard you were starting an alliance? Do you think- "

My mind grew bright with excitement. "Do you want to join?" I interrupted quickly.

"Yes!" he replied swiftly.

"Oh wait, sorry to lead you on like that. We're trying to find people who are good at things, no offense!" I said, trying to stab myself mentally. Every word sounded rude; however, Stephen didn't take it that way.

"Of course there are things I'm good at! Let me show you!" He whisked me off to another station.