The 122nd Annual Hunger Games: The Anti-Careers

Last Day Alliances

XVI, i - Julius Abend, District 11 Male

On the last day of training, I decided to prepare myself for the private training sessions instead of working on skills I didn't have. I especially rubbed it into their faces, the tributes from District 1, that I could also wield a sword. I had spent the first hour waving a sword around and showing off my strength with the dummies. My prowess showed well and I could tell because those snots tried to compete with me throughout the day.

For a while, the morning was getting quite boring. I wasn't really thinking ahead to how I would take the games; hide and try to keep my innocence? Or deliberately go out and kill others, just to appear worthy to the Capitol? I didn't even have a game plan.

I was approached by Araina Sient, the District 12 female, at some point close to lunch time. "I need you," she said stern. She stood there for a moment, her gaze meeting mine. There was an intent of seriousness in her look and tone.

"And what the heck does that mean?"

"Did you ever notice the other alliance?"

"You're talking about the Career mutts, right? Yeah, everyone knows about them. So what?"

"No, not just them. District 7. They have a group and I think they're almost as big as the Careers too. We need one too."

I looked at this girl, dead in the eyes standing only a few inches below me. She meant serious business and so did I. We both knew that the other alliances would be better at outlasting us giving them better odds than the lone wolfs.

"Deal," I finally answered.

"But we need a third person."

"What for?"

"That girl from your district."

"Listy? Why? If anyone, why not Cole from your district. He's more perfectly capable of combat, fighting strong with that axe like you do."

"But we need food, and you and her are the perfect balance of it."

"I know how to find food."

"But she's better at it." I couldn't help but agree. That girl was trained better than I was. "And if you really want, we can get both, I suppose."

I nodded in agreement. We decided I would recruit Listy and she would get Cole because recruitment would have been easier within our own districts.

She was over by the weapons, seeming disgusted by her surroundings, toying with a knife. Her inspections of the weapon proved faulty to her; she didn't want anything to do with weapons. It only took a minute for me to convince her to join. She understood easily that all the killing would be me and Araina plus Cole who she hadn't known about yet. Within ten minutes, Araina reported back to me; we had an alliance, the District 11 and 12 tributes.

Lunch time came, our final free practice session was over.

-o-o-o-o-o-

XVI, ii - Evan Ashe, District 7 Male

"Have you figured out who you want yet?" Rebekah asked me. "I mean Mikaela turned us down, for some strange reason, and so you have yet to make your choice. I made mine, so hurry up! Training sessions start when lunch is over."

I had my hands clasped together, my thinking almost hindering my hearing. "I made a mental list and decided who I want, and I want two."

"Well, who?"

"These are going to seem odd, my choices." Rebekah really wanted to know and motioned for me to reveal. "Both from District 6." She scratched her head, not seeming appealed. "I knew you would be foggy on this one."