All-Stars: Non-Careers

Chapter 19

Lisbeth Miller

There were way too many people for me to get through this on my own. I needed an ally. It didn't matter who it was. I'd only be with him or her until the Bloodbath. Then I'd tie up loose ends and move on.

Burgundy was more reluctant than I expected. I put on all my charm and friendliness, but he acted like I'd already betrayed him. He only agreed after I said it would be a temporary alliance. A very temporary alliance, but I didn't tell him that part.

I needed to think about the logistics of all of this. With seventy-four of us in one Arena, the Gamemakers would have to make it larger just so it could hold all of us. A lot of us would die in the Bloodbath, but they couldn't be sure of that, so there was probably going to be a lot of room for the survivors. That meant it would be easier to hide, in which case I should spend more time learning to survive. There would be at least fifty of us left. It would take a lot of food to sustain that many people. Wild plants just didn't grow that thick naturally. That's why people developed gardening. Things would be tight. I'd only be worrying about one person, but that one person was very important.

Burgundy Lumineer

It wasn't fair to blame Lisbeth for what happened. She had nothing to do with it. I couldn't assume she was like anyone else, even if she was a girl. That's why I finally agreed to the alliance. It was only for a little while, and I could use someone to watch my back.

A lot of the Tributes were upset or confused about being resurrected. For me, it was a chance to start again. I had a completely different body now. Whatever happened last time around was to a different person. I didn't have to let it hold me back.

It was creepily metaphysical. None of the atoms inside me were part of the old me. If you replace every part of something, is it really the same thing? I had the same memories, but a computer had memories too. Computers weren't alive and they weren't individual.

It hurt my head to think of all the ramifications. I decided to focus on the positive. I was reborn. I could be any kind of person I wanted. The possibilities were endless.

Sevarian Vask

Logan and DeMarcus were like me, but I didn't want to join their alliance. I didn't join a gang for friendship. I would have made trouble with or without a gang.

It seemed I hadn't rung the bell after all. I guess that was good for the people back home, but I didn't really care. As long as I was alive, it didn't matter how it happened. It was obvious that most of my competition was peaceful. Unless some of us picked up the slack, the Games would go on forever. If they needed someone to do their dirty work, I could do that. I just hoped they kept me supplied.

I constantly kept my eye out for an opening. With three times as many Tributes to watch, it might be possible for me to slip away. There were a lot of places to hide in the Capitol. And things probably weren't as perfect as they liked to think. I was sure I could find the same street rats here as I could back home. But they wouldn't be used to the kind of c*****e I dealt with on a daily basis in my gang days. I could be on the top in no time. I didn't need to win the Games. I'd be happy as a humble guttersnipe in a city as rich as the Capitol.

Mindi Hostler

Naturally they picked me again. They wanted to make up for what happened last time.

Surely the Arena would be nicer this time as well. Maybe a lovely mansion, or even the president's house. And of course I'd last longer. What happened last time was an embarrassing mix-up. Not for me- for the Gamemakers. Someone definitely go fired. Probably executed.

I was still trying to decide which alliance would get to have me. I liked the one of all girls. We could talk about girl stuff. The girl with all the little kids probably wouldn't last past the first day. But then, maybe I should join one of the boy alliances. Boys were handsome, and they'd like to have a lovely lady to admire.

It was going to be wonderful to be a Victor. No more smelly Twelve with its nasty clouds of smoke. Even the Victor's Village was dull and dirty. I'd live in the Capitol instead. That was were I belonged. My talent would be modeling, of course, and everyone would love me. Life was finally about to make things right.

Wyatt Sparks

Best idea ever. I tried not to laugh as I made my move.

"Hey, you have an alliance, right?" I said to Haber. She scowled at me.

"It's girls only," she said.

"Pleeeeeease? I'll wear makeup and talk about boys and hate men," I said.

"No," she said.

"Even if I wear a dress for my interview and open doors for you and bring you all flowers?" I asked.

"No," she said.

"What if I'm a girl on the inside? You don't know what I look like without clothes on anyway," I said. She tried to leave and I followed after her.

"You're just rude! Just because I don't have boobs you think I'm not a girl! I thought we were equals now!" I complained about the injustice of it all. Haber was unmoved. No 6:1 ratio for me. Oh well, it was worth a try.

There were only two actual allies here so I added more to make the chapter longer. Wyatt is still with Dominique, but he is sadly not allowed into the She-Woman Man Haters. He is also not transgender and is just being a goon.