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THREE

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𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐄𝐃 to their stylist when they arrived in the Capitol. They were ushered off towards their work stations and separated before the stylist met with Keres. She'd been alone in a cold room on a metal table like a dead body before she ever met the stylist who would turn her into something she would no longer recognize.

She'd been poked, prodded, and stripped of everything from District 10 by the stylist's assistants. She didn't even catch their names between waxing off all her leg hair, her upper lip, and cheeks. They took everything she'd ever known from her body, filing down her nails and leaving her plain and smooth. No longer did she have the proud body hair that helped keep her warm and regulated, gone were the splintered nails from a long day in the fields. Gone was everything, until the stylist arrived.

Immediately, Keres was taken away by her beauty. She was not like any of the other Capitol residents Keres had seen upon arrival. The hundreds of waving hands in frilly outfits covered in sequins and mesh, resembling costumes then something a normal person would ever wear in 10.

The stylist was unlike them. Her hair, first off, was natural. A beautiful redhead with a full face and an observant smile. She wore deep red eyeliner under her eyes but the rest of her face remained free of any makeup or design, a contrast to Cloelia in every sense.

She was so subtle, there was nothing flashy about her. It made the whole situation almost feel normal in a sense. But nothing was normal, not really.

"You can sit up," she told Keres and the girl did, slowly.

She'd been laying there on her back, covered by a thin sheet for so long the skin on her back peeled up with her from sticking to the metal. She studied Keres, eyes running over her face and arms and the girl had to pull the sheet up to cover herself the best she could as the eyes raked over her.

"I'm sorry we are meeting like this," said the woman, setting down a big book she had in her hands. It was full of swatches of fabric and stencils and little drawings as she opened it beside Keres on the table. "I'm sorry that our time together will be short."

She touched the side of Keres's face, moving it back and forth. When she spoke again, it was with her head in between the pages of her scrapbook.

"My name is Cypress," she told her. "Tonight is the Tribute Parade. I'm in charge of the outfit–"

"Costume, you mean," muttered Keres and this got the stylist's attention. It was nothing more than a silly getup made to disguise what was underneath, a girl and boy who were still kids, not the adults they were pretending to be.

A little smile replaced the hardened look on Cypress's face as she nodded. "We dress you up as the industry your district represents but cattle is so...boring."

"Not going to dress me up as a cow?" asked Keres. "Two years ago they had Tanner in overalls and–"

"Yes, yes," muttered Cypress. "It was awful. Not my finest work. So, tonight will be different." She flipped through her pages, all marked with different dates from past Hunger Games. When she found what she was looking for, she stopped on the page and turned the book so Keres could see. "Our goal is to make sure you're overlooked."

Keres felt the blood leave her face. What about the sponsors she needed to get? "Huh?"

"Evander and Dante told me of your plan," said Cypress, "and while I love those boys, I didn't love their idea. But after meeting with your brother and seeing your Reaping on film, it seems to me we can play this role a bit longer."

"What did my brother say?"

"That you're a good little actress out for revenge."

"And you're willing to, what? Ruin your career with a blank outfit?" asked Keres, staring down at the little figurine drawing of a woman in a leather outfit. Bland. Ordinary.

"Who says my little wolf will ruin my career?" asked Cypress, turning the page over. It was her original design and it took Keres's breath away. A wolf headdress, bloodied fangs and maw made with red gems. It was a shame she'd never see it on. "For this look, we'll be focusing on brown leather and..."

Keres could hardly pay attention to the fabrics and makeup as Cypress's assistants came rattling in with carts and boxes. Keres had never worn makeup before but they lathered her face in sweet smelling lotion as Cypress worked with the outfit she'd planned on using.

When it was done and Keres no longer looked like herself, she saw the outfit for what it was. Simple. Plain and brown. It contrasted deeply with Keres's hair and complexion but it was the best that would make them all glance right over her to get to the big and sparkly.

"Is my brother's outfit the same?" she asked and Cypress grinned.

"Not at all."

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Helios wore a decorated costume of silver chainmail and a full suit of glittering black armor. There was a gauntlet on his left hand, decorated in red gems to resemble the cattle they killed in their district. His armor was sharp and edged, like the blades they used. Keres, before heading out to where their chariot would pull them along the stretch of the Avenue of the Tributes, beginning with District 1 and ending with 12, she was given one last marker for her costume. A little bonnet, one an old farmer's wife might wear. Her hair was braided in an intricate lower bun and stuffed under the brown leather bonnet.

She looked like a small farmer's wife, nothing at all like Rayla back home. Small, feeble, and the shadow of her glimmering knight. Women weren't supposed to be seen as unleashed beasts and Cypress took that fundamentalist bullshit and applied it to their costumes brilliantly. It made Keres almost want to smile, if not for the drips of fake tears glued to her cheeks and welled up under her eyes.

The weeping wife. The dutiful servant. Never a drop of blood or gore could ever touch the angel sent down from above, except for the deep blood smeared over her abdomen that Cypress had insisted on.

"You're still a fighter," she whispered, painting the red, "and you can be the little wife in this, honestly, shameful costume but not without a little blood on your hands."

Helios laughed in her face when she approached him by their chariot. It was a truthful laughter, meaning it deep from his belly. "You–you look ridiculous!"

"And you look dangerous," she snapped back. He laughed a bit more, pretending to wipe his eyes as she snarled, "Dressed to impress, brother, honestly."

His laughter was slowly dying, his breathing hard. "Cypress has outdone herself." He got into their chariot, being pulled by two brown horses. He held out his hand to her and helped her inside. She was wearing little heels and they made her unsteady. "You truly are forgettable."

"Thanks."

"Hey," he muttered with a laugh under his breath, "this was your big plan, I'm just here for the ride."

"I didn't force you to volunteer," she said back. "This was my plan from the start, you just happened to try and ruin it."

How do we ensure both of our survival and both of our deaths?

The other tributes were slowly filling their chariots and it was hard to look over the jewels, gold, and bright sparkling colors. Even the basic coal miners from 12 looked good with the black smudged over their eyelids.

Keres was beginning to feel silly but Helios took her hand as the chariot began to move. He bent down to whisper into her ear, "Wherever you go, I go. I would've volunteered for you a hundred times over if it meant we'd be together until the end."

She squeezed his hand. The cheering had already begun. This would be some of her last days in this place, surrounded by people who were ready to gorge themselves on the delight of seeing them dead. The bets were already being placed.

She hadn't seen the Careers yet, she'd been too focused on Helios's reaction. Up ahead, she could see the heads of District 9, dressed for their grain industry. Fifteen year-old Magnus dressed in a tan colored unitard, belted with tools, and seventeen year-old Calyx with her flaming red hair dressed in the same ridiculous outfit with boots up to her knees in a deep rich brown. They stood apart and Keres wondered if any of the other tributes held hands like they were now by their sides.

Helios raised his hand to the cheering crowd as they entered the avenue. There were stands on either side further down near the center of the City Circle. At the very end of the avenue was where the Tribute Training Center was located, where they'd be spending the next three days fighting and training together, slowly learning weaknesses and strengths. Along with the training center, it was where their Living Quarters were. The apartments for each district in one large building. Each floor was designated for a district, starting at the bottom with 1 and ending with the penthouse for 12, overlooking the city. They would get five, maybe six days in the stunning building before being taken to the arena.

It almost didn't seem real.

Before they reached the cheering crowd, they passed by Avoxes slamming mallets on big drums. The sound could barely be heard over the bustling crowd trying desperately to get each tribute to look their way on either side.

In front of them, Keres could see the Capitol residents throwing flowers and coins at the tributes, desperate to have them look. They wanted them so badly to see them, to be the ones who got a look at the potential victor. When their chariot arrived, the screams went to gasps and Helios was given a ray of red roses thrown through the air and swooning women waving. Keres could feel barely an eye on her and even the large screens near the Tribute Center were mainly focused on Helios and their conjoined hands.

She could see President Snow standing in preparation for his welcome speech, the same speech they heard every year. She felt something uncoil inside of her like some long sleeping serpent as they got closer and closer. She couldn't tear her eyes from him.

He was stark white against the backdrop of screens and Panem flags. White suit, white hair, white mustache and beard, pale skin with surprising rosy cheeks and startling crystal blue eyes. She could only see them from the screens depicting his smiling face but there was something so misguided in his eyes, so untrustworthy and misleading. He was not this cheery old man running a country, he was a dictator, a killer, a supporter of a rancid cause.

When the chariots slowed in their designated rows, Snow began to speak but all Keres could hear was white noise building up in her ears. Her teeth began to clench and grit together, her jaw locked tightly. She hadn't realized she was squeezing Helios's hand in a deadly vice-like grip until he hissed at her under his breath and behind his smile.

She forced her own smile to her face as images of Elma died behind her eyes.

All alone. Terrified. Lost in a forest.

Cornered. Trapped. Sliced and murdered.

Keres had entered her name far over three dozen times to get where she was and still, through training and running laps in the fields, she still felt weak under Snow's powerful gaze. Even the other tributes made her want to cower.

There was something inside of her that wanted her to be scared. It wanted her to see everything for what it was. You were going to die a gruesome and cruel death. You will never make it out of the Capitol alive.

But she stared up at Snow, her brows pulled deeply and her mouth in a deep set frown, because frowning was all she could do.

She was more than thankful to finally enter their living space. A large apartment made for her and Helios. There was a long dining table elevated on a platform in the main room, surrounded by falling chandelier strings and glitter streamers. There was a main sitting room with a long white leather couch, it looked somewhat like a caterpillar with its multiple sections all put together, and it sat in front of a large flatscreen. Everything was either white, black, brown, or a deep green and Keres appreciated the colors. It was almost like they were home, if not for the level of extravagance that made her blood run cold.

They ate a big dinner with their mentors and Cloelia. It was mostly silent, save for Helios's soft chatter with Dante. The pair was hitting it off and Keres wondered if it was because he had their fathers dark eyes or because he was just nice and showed an interest.

Keres ate steak, richly marinated and juicy, long carrots, purple potatoes all lathered in a thick and savory gravy. She'd never had something so delicious but she knew it would wreck her stomach later that night. She wasn't used to such foods, thick and fatty and mouthwatering.

Cloelia sat beside her, dressed in orange again. She smacked her lips happily with every bite and Keres wondered how much longer they'd be stuck with her.

"You should really try this, dear," said Cloelia, holding something vibrantly blue on her fork.

Keres made a face, scrunching up her nose. "Uh–"

"Come on, now, just one bite."

She thrusted the fork in her face until Keres took it. It smelled alright, nothing insane, so she put it in her mouth and felt it melt on her tongue. She liked it. A lot. But she couldn't describe what it was. Tart but savory, texture unlike meat but unlike a carrot or piece of broccoli. It was something else entirely that made her want more.

"Good, isn't it?" Cloelia purred. "Just a little something you can get here during your stay." She snapped her fingers for the Avox standing at the small staircase on the platform. "More of this, please."

Keres didn't like being served on but she couldn't stop Cloelia.

"Meet any of the other tributes yet, dears?" asked Cloelia as the Avox returned.

Helios turned away from his conversation with Dante, glittery makeup still on his face, and he nodded. "Spoke with the District 3 girl. Sage, I think her name was. I also had a small chat with Atticus, the District 12 boy."

"You had time to speak to people?" asked Keres, shocked. She hadn't expected her brother to be out mingling.

"You had time too," her brother shot back. "You just didn't bother."

"Because they're here to kill us," she tried to remind him. Had he forgotten why they were all here? They were here to die and kill, that was it. There was no point in making friends, not when they were all going to be stuck murdering each other. She didn't want to know who she was killing, not personally at least. It made it all so much worse. Even knowing their names made it worse.

"It's good to get a sense of who you're going up against," said Evander. He'd won his games at seventeen and, from what Keres could tell during her rewatch before dinner, was that his preferred weapon had been a sickle. "Going in blind could cost you."

"But..." Keres felt herself wanting to shut down but she forced herself to continue. "...how do you just...go up to them?"

"She's not very sociable," said Helios with a little smirk and she wanted to throw her plate at his head. "Always had a close group of friends but, well, you've seen what the games did to them."

Cloelia perked up, making a tiny noise of surprise. "Oh! Oh! You knew that girl–" she began snapping her fingers, trying to figure out who it was and Keres felt heat warm her throat and chest. "Oh, gosh, what was her name? She was here last year...had those eyes..."

Evander's eyes looked dark as he spoke, deeply displeased, "Her name was Elma Ridge and she was only seventeen."

"She was my best friend," murmured Keres, suddenly not very hungry. "And she was murdered in that arena." She pushed her seat back from the table and it made a loud scraping noise against the thick glass platform. "I think I'm going to go to bed early, get ready for tomorrow's first day of training."

"Keres–" started Helios but she shook her head at him.

She wanted to go to sleep. She wanted to hide away in the big bedroom with its king mattress and silk plum sheets that matched the ones from the train. She wanted to get lost in the simulation in her bedroom. She just wanted to get away.

Once safely inside her room, her simulation of beautiful fields and soft winds sounding all throughout the bedroom, she allowed herself to cry once more. It was easy to will the tears, to feel the weakness she was suddenly so self-conscious about. She'd been so certain it'd all be so easy, to play her role, to somehow survive for as long as she could to get back at the districts who'd hurt her and to shock the world. No one would be betting on her, no one would be sponsoring her, and she was glad for it. It meant their money would be lost, thousands and millions drained from accounts that will never be the same.

Titus would not win these games. Vita would not win these games. Neither would Adonis or Bryn, or Reiner and Isolde. It'd be someone else entirely, because Keres would be dead the second Helios died, if he ever died.

She hoped he'd win. That he'd come out on top and get to go home and potentially have a normal life outside of the evil in this world. But he wasn't like the other kids, he didn't like seeing things the normal way or being normal in general. He liked being a loner, he liked seeing things from the outside and it made Keres crazy.

It made him a good candidate to win and he was already making friends. While they weren't the type of friends he needed in order to make it to even the last five standing, he was good at manipulation and sliding into conversations.

They were so unlike the other. Where he could have conversations, suddenly be in friend groups without the blink of an eye while still portraying his favorite lone wolf personality, she could hardly find it easy to talk to someone she hardly knew. There were twenty-two other tributes she had to pick and choose from but she could hardly even bring herself to approach even one after the chariot ride or before.

She'd seen them all in their beautiful costumes, speaking with their stylists and mentors, and all she could think about was Snow's face and the cheering Capitol crowd who didn't have a clue what it felt like to watch their friends be stripped of their humanity and die. They would never know the horror and confusion, the shock, to hear the begging, the pleading for lives. Keres could only hope when their favorite tribute was killed, they'd experience just a little of that loss.

It made her wonder how the mentors felt, watching a child they watched over and taught go into the games to die. The ones they knew would have no hope of winning or staying alive past the Cornucopia, which she'd heard Evander refer to as the 'bloodbath.'

She just had to outrun all of the tributes to make it there before the blood began. She'd been an experienced runner in her district, making runs to the market, to houses, and through the woods for fun when hunting. She knew that if she reached the Cornucopia in good time, she'd be able to grab the best weapons.

She wanted to get something flashy but she knew she had to stick with someone easy to maneuver, specifically for close combat. The sword, gleaming and silver, she'd seen in past games was the most desirable to her but she knew a small knife would be more efficient. But that all counted on whether or not she made it there before the Careers. She wasn't sure she could outrun them but heading there first and quickly, going against everything her mentors had told her, she could grab something useful and head off to hide and plot.

With her tears drying on her cheeks and chin, she flipped through different games on her screen. If they were lucky with a forest arena, she could climb trees or find a cave near the water. If they were given a winter wasteland or rocky mountains, there wouldn't be many places to hide and succumbing to the elements would be her biggest risk. The same went for a desert, she'd have to find sponsors during the interview session later this week but she was hoping for a forest. They'd had multiple forest arenas through the years and with Seneca Crane being announced as Head Gamemaker this year, a forest would be a good place for him to showcase his skills with weather technology and the famous tracker jackers and mutations Gamemakers were always so fond of. Mutations would be easier to hide in the forest but Keres couldn't think of any other landscape that could work.

She found the footage from tonight, showcasing each district through the Tribute Parade. Titus and Vita came out first down the long stretch, covered in gold and shining diamonds. They were deadly, even as they smiled and waved, blowing kisses to the screens and audience. Adonis and Bryn were the same, slightly more subdued with their behavior. There weren't as many smiles or big gestures, but nods and gleaming looks.

Even District 4 looked good in their fish net and watery design, like mermaids from the deep. She'd seen the victors from 4 before. They were either left old, insane from grief and PTSD, or handsomely criminal. Mags Flanagan, winner of the 11th Hunger Games. She was the first to be a part of the victory tours done after the games, as well as the first to move into the Victor's Village located in each district. She'd been the start, but now she was ripe with age and it wasn't seen how much of her own mind had gone over the years. Trauma worked its devilish wheel in different ways.

But it wasn't Mags that blew her away. She'd studied the 65th games, she'd seen how the youngest victor had taken his crown. Finnick Odair was a living legend amongst the victors. A Capitol prize. Golden and pretty, charismatic and swoon-worthy. He won his games because of his sponsors and Keres could not say the same for her.

Helios could do it, though. He's charismatic, he can be charming and seductive and manipulative. He was the sheer opposite of Finnick's tall, golden, and muscular, but that didn't always win games.

She just needed to put on a pretty smile, make friends, and find her way through the next few days. It would be much harder than it seemed, and she knew that, but as she laid back in her big silk bed with the screams of past tributes ringing in her ears, she knew it all had to be done.

The Capitol had to be shocked. They had to be in financial ruin. They needed to be persecuted.

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The first training session had Keres's stomach in knots. She'd woken up late and had to rush to get her training uniform on in time to catch the last few minutes of breakfast. She was given a bowl of fruit before she was ushered off after Helios.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting because this part of the Hunger Games was never shown to viewers at home. These were private moments, private sessions between tributes and experts in each field supervising their sections. The training gym was located in the basement of the Tribute Center, and it consisted of a large gymnasium filled with different exercises and tools to be used.

The Head Trainer ran through a series of rules, specifically going over no hurting other tributes as a major one. Keres stopped paying attention once she began to describe the area, letting her eyes roam the room. She was standing near the back with Helios, and while she couldn't see over the tops of heads of some of the taller tributes, she could still see perfectly fine.

Atala, the Head Trainer, explained that the tributes shouldn't avoid the survival skills in favor of weapon training and Keres couldn't agree more as she located the fire station as well as the identification game for different plants. They were more likely to die of exposure or disease. Getting a cold could be the end of a top tribute if they didn't supply themselves properly.

When Atala was done speaking, Keres watched Helios stalk over towards the District 12 boy who was leaning towards the climbing station. Watching her brother leave her side, she was forced to choose an area. Keeping her arms around herself and her shoulders hunched forward to allude to her being scared and shy, she found her way towards the plant identification section. They were slowly being split into groups for their first few hours to work through orientation.

Little groups of six people in each and Keres found herself with Tansy from District 11, Phelia and Niko from 5, Alder from 6, and Koru from 7. They went in turns, each getting a go at the simulator game, having to click the poisonous amongst the edible. Tansy did well, missing only two. It made sense since her district was made up of agriculture. Forced to work fields or watch their parents. She had knowledge of field work, as well as the plants within and no doubt her parents explained it to her as she grew up. Only fourteen and she did far better than Niko and Phelia from 5, which focused on power production. Alder did well, not not great since District 5 was mainly a transportation industry but Koru did better than Tansy, as 7's industry was lumber which meant he'd spent more time outside than others.

As they traveled towards the fire starting, it was Tansy and Koru who excelled over all others. Of course, Keres knew how to start a fire, she knew what plants were poisonous and which weren't, but she wouldn't let anyone see it. She had to play dumb, she had to play weak.

As she tried and failed to get the flint to work, Phelia offered Keres her hands wordlessly. When the fire sparked to life after a few seconds, Keres looked up in slight shock. She hadn't anticipated the girl to be any good, since she came from a district surrounded by water with their hydroelectric dam. It was the first time Keres got a good look at her and it sent something warm fluttering to her stomach, which was not good.

Maybe it was bad fruit she ate earlier but Phelia Jin was beautiful. Eighteen with long black hair, somehow even darker than Kere's and it fell past the girl's shoulders in two long braids save for her bangs that curtained the sides of her face. She had dark brown eyes, nearly black, and they captivated Keres entirely. She was pale and had, undoubtedly, soft cheeks. She was small, though, little hands and arms but she could start a fire and Keres was at a loss for words. Her face was full and soft and her cheeks were slightly rosy and her mouth was moving and–

"See, look, you got it."

Keres blinked and dropped her flint.

"Even if you don't have it," muttered Phelia in a light voice, her whisper like angel wings, "it's good to pretend. They've been watching."

"Who?" murmured Keres, keeping her head down and at the fire she was 'struggling' to build.

"The Careers." Keres found herself slowly looking up as Phelia whispered, "They're right behind me, off my shoulder."

And sure enough, there they were. All packed together already. They were observing everyone in the room as they tried different stations. All smiling and murmuring to the other, laughing as Zinnia from 8 struggled to climb the wall with Helios, Atticus, Freesia, and Sage from 3.

The Careers looked far worse grouped together. At first, when they'd only been seen with their counterparts from their district, they seemed small. Lesser, almost. But all together, they were all strength, speed, and viciousness.

"We were on the elevator down with Titus and Vita," murmured Phelia, speaking on behalf of her and Niko, who was a shyer boy with jet black hair and crooked grin. "It was like they were looking down their noses at us and taking notes in their head of how they were going to kill us." Phelia shook her head, her braids moving back and forth across her chest. Their training uniforms were tight and the braids were brushing– "I'm sure they've already chosen who they'll target the most just by looking at us."

Keres nodded, slowly. She swallowed thickly and said, "Who do you think it'll be?"

"Who?"

"The person they'll target?"

Phelia shrugged but Keres could see her mind whirling. Ticking down the tributes in the room like they were nothing but marks on a list. "Your brother."

"My brother?" It came out as a hiss, louder than she had expected and she lowered her voice significantly before snarling out, "Why do you think that?"

"Just look at him," said Phelia and Keres saw her smile for the first time. Plump lips that were a soft dark pink, forcing her cherry cheekbones to rise like little lollipops. "He's the only one laughing and I mean loudly."

She was right, of course. Helios was doubled over in fits of laughter with the nervous 12 tributes and he had a hand on Zinnia's little shoulder. Even the little girl was laughing with him, not as boisterously but enough for Helios to continue to put on a show.

Always playing a role.

"They like him," said Niko from behind Phelia in a small voice. "Titus said something about his costume in the elevator."

"Doesn't mean he likes him," mumbled Phelia. "The Careers are observant, that's all."

Niko made an 'uh-huh' sound under his breath but continued with his fire building.

The girl beside Keres almost smiled, as if trying to pretend this was happening somewhere else without cameras and eyes. "If we're supposed to somehow survive this thing, we can't be making a scene. Keep a low profile and we can at least make it until the final ten."

"That's your goal?" asked Keres as they stood, preparing to move to the next station. They were headed towards the climbing station. "To make it until there's only ten of us left?"

Phelia nodded. "Better than dying first or in the first five, right?"

Better than first.

"Who's in your top ten?" asked Keres, curious. Who did this girl think would somehow live? Would there be any outliers Keres needed to worry about besides the group of Careers?

"Obviously Titus and Vita," said Niko as they watched Tansy, Koru, and Alder prepare their climb. They went in threes.

Phelia nodded, arms crossed. They stood close together, to avoid anyone hearing their predictions. "Adonis and Bryn are obvious choices, too. Same with Reiner and Isolde." She kept her eyes on the climbers and Keres wondered what it would be like to be studied by her, too. "And if I'm making it, then me and Niko."

"That leaves two more spots."

"Your brother," said Phelia, "and Calyx, the girl from 9."

Keres ignored how she didn't say her name, but this was what she was working towards. She was not the obvious choice.

"Or Tull, from 7." Niko cracked a little smile and nudged Phelia who quickly turned her head and saw Keres. Phelia quickly tried to cover herself from her mistake, "Or, uh, you. Yeah, you could make it."

"Don't lie," muttered Keres as Alder slipped and had to begin climbing from the bottom again. "Everyone here knows I won't make it past the first five."

"You don't know that," said Niko with a frown. "Phelia only said my name because without her, I'd be dead anyway." He held out his leg and shook it. "Broke my leg two years ago and it hasn't healed right. I'm a shit runner, so, more than likely, I'll be dead in the first ten."

"Don't say that," spat Phelia, shaking her head with a scowl.

"It's true," said Niko, shrugging. "And it's true about her, too," he motioned his head towards Keres, "we're both losers here. Might as well group us with the twelve and thirteen year olds here."

Alder, who'd slipped a second time, narrowed his eyes and said, "At least I can run faster than you!"

Niko laughed, softly. "Yeah, you're right, kid. But I'll race ya to the top." He ruffled the boy's hair and went up to start his climb beside the boy who'd failed twice, but third time's a charm.

Phelia glanced towards Keres and she pretended she didn't feel her eyes on her, but she was speaking, softly, "It's not that I don't think you'd make it...I don't even know you. But you can't make a fire, you barely identified the plants, and I don't see you being able to make this climb or throw a knife with any accuracy or power."

"But you can?" asked Keres, feeling a tinge of anger reach her chest but she refused to let it touch her words.

"I know, I know," she muttered, "District 5 isn't known for brute strength or survival instincts. We're power plants, we're electricity. I know how to rewire a circuit board in under five minutes but I don't know shit about which berries to eat and which ones to avoid. But I'm strong. I can climb, I can run. Can you?"

"I worked in fields my entire life," said Keres. "I can do what has to be done." She finally met the girl's eyes as Koru and Tansy made it down, Alder already halfway up and Niko pacing himself beside the boy. Keres allowed a smile to fall onto her lips. "I might surprise you out there."

Something unrecognizable gleamed in Phelia Jin's eyes and Keres smiled again.

Keres did not make it to the top but she watched Phelia touch the ceiling with a triumphant grin. The girl could climb and Keres marked that down in the list in her head. She wasn't here to look for alliances or people to spare, but she might've just accidentally found someone she could trust.

And that was far more reckless than she could've ever anticipated. This was not a game of hearts and she was allowing it to become one, and that made it the most dangerous game of all.

AUTHOR'S NOTE━━ok hi long time no see fr....LOL

keres is finally meeting some of the other tributes!! babygirl is branching out!! not really but a liittle!! how do we feel about niko and phelia?

also for logistics, ive changed this fic to the 73rd games instead of 72nd bc of....things for the future ;)

lmk ur thoughts and what ur looking forward to/wishing to see!!!!!

pls pls vote/comment