A/N: These chapter names are getting progressively worse XDDD

***

Leonardo sat on the edge of his bed, his face buried in his three-fingered hands. Sadness made his body feel cold and numb, like he was floating through nothingness. His head spun; all he could think of was Splinter's last words to him, the serious but familiar loving look in his eyes.

"Do what you know is right."

"I will, Father," he whispered. "I will."

I won't kill anyone in that arena. I won't do what the Capitol wants. I couldn't kill anyone if I tried anyway.

The bedroom door suddenly slid open.

"Leo?" I familiar voice, heavy with an accent, called his name. "Are you okay?"

One look at her friend told Mona that he wasn't at all okay. The lizard woman strode into the room, sitting beside Leonardo and resting a hand gently on his muscular shoulder.

"Oh, Leo," she murmured. "Chin up, mi amigo."

"How am I supposed to do that?" the blue-masked turtle cried out. "We're being sent to our deaths, Monica!"

"Not necessarily," she corrected him. "You know both of us are muy capable of coming home."

"But how can I survive these Games when I don't even have the stomach for killing?"

"You don't have to kill. There are other ways."

The turtle mutant sighed, closing his eyes.

"Maybe you're right," he sighed. "I still don't think I have a chance at winning."

"But I do," Mona replied. "Do you know what my mamá always told me? She told me you'll never know."

"Not until it happens."

***

Caravina's wings rustled and twitched anxiously as she stared out the window. She longed to open them up and soar all the way back home, but of course that wasn't an option. Instead, they had to stay folded against her back until she arrived at the Capitol. All sorts of emotions swirled inside of her like a hurricane, making her stomach churn, and the speed that the train was traveling did not help the situation any.

From the next room over, she could hear the TV playing softly. Curious, the dragon mutant turned away from the window and headed over, walking into the next room–the living room.

Cara walked in to ding her district partner sitting on the couch, her gaze fixed on the television. Crossing her arms, Cara strode over, glancing over at the TV just in time to watch two people get caught in an explosion onscreen.

"Whoa, what the heck are you watching?" she gasped. "Some kind of crazy action movie?"

Winter shook her head, her eyes not leaving the screen.

"These are tapes from previous Hunger Games," she answered.

"Why would you be watching that?" Cara questioned. "You'll be seeing the Games in action soon enough."

"I want to see if these Tributes had any special tactics," Winter replied. "So far, nothing."

Cara stumbled as the train hit a bump in the tracks, causing the cars to jerk upward briefly. She steadied herself easily, plopping down on the couch beside her district partner without a word.

They watched the grim Games on television in silence.

***

Elsie and Sofie sat side-by-side at the dinner table, Elsie nibbling on a sandwich while Sofie munched happily on a stick of bamboo. Around them sat their mentor, attendants, and stylists, all eating dinner in an eerie silence.

The two mutant girls looked at each other, starting a quiet conversation.

"So, Elsie, there's something I've been meaning to ask you since we got reaped," Sofie spoke quietly, trying not to alert the adults at the table.

"Oh, me too!" Elsie replied. "But you go first."

"Okay. So, would you want to–"

"Ally?" they both finished at the same time.

"Of course!" Elsie beamed. "That's what I was going to ask you."

"Great! So we're allies," Sofie grinned, taking another bite out of her bamboo stick. "So when the Games start, we can't abandon each other. We've got each other's backs."

"Shake on it?"

"Shake on it."

The two girls shook hands firmly, earning them strange looks from the other people at the table. Both of them were thinking the same thing.

May nothing but death to us part.

***

A/N: Totally did not just reference Fallout Boy...anywho, next chapter is when the arrivals happen. After comes the Tribute parade, which I'm really excited about :)