[ here we go wow. this has some minor flashes back to the interviews bc i had a couple ideas to use in future parts that need anchored there

warnings: language, blood, character death (both named and unnamed characters), etc

i looked up a timeline for the hunger games and let me just say:
- mags was old as dirt like,,, older than president snow by four years and ?? they were both small children during the dark days
- in order to comply with the timeline + stuff i've already written, this au has to be like 69th-74th games somewhere in there
- this one will most likely be the 72nd, which according to the timeline i was looking at, was seneca crane's first one as head gamemaker

stay safe,
lew. ]

———————

Deep breaths, Lewis reminds himself yet again, eyes clenched shut as he waits to be lifted up into the arena. The churning in his stomach never dies down, it only intensifies. Things get worse when he thinks about the last message his family will probably receive from him, but it's the one thing he keeps going back to.

"Why don't you tell us about the important people you're fighting to see again?"

He got a shy smile on his face, despite the feeling of his heart pounding against his ribcage. "My mom is such an amazing person. My brother Mason and his girlfriend Chloe are like my best friends. And the— the person I really like is named Sam. I—" He cuts himself off, earning a look of concern from the host.

"We can just change the topic. What's your strategy—?"

"No, uh, I just need to say something before I— Mom, if you're watching, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but... I'm in a relationship with another boy, and I think I love him. I— I don't think I'm interested in girls. I'm sorry."

When the platform starts to rise, he panics, arms wrapping tightly around himself as he mutters a prayer to whatever deity might be listening. Nothing like impending death to awaken someone's spirituality.

The slight breeze ruffles his hair, making him open his eyes. The Cornucopia sits about a hundred yards away, which is entirely too far for him to run and make it before someone kills him.

To his left is Logan, who looks ridiculously focused and calm for what's happening. And to his right is the boy from Three, the one with an older sister for a previous victor. He doesn't look like he's capable of handling any of the events about to unfold.

The countdown starts. There's no words exchanged between tributes, no sounds other than the ones you'd expect from a forest setting.

Speaking of the forest, even from this incredibly limited view, Lewis can see three or four different food sources and a stream that more than likely flows through the entire arena. Birds are happily chirping, and the sun is cheerily shining down through the leafy canopy above their heads.

These are oak and sycamore trees, ones that are tough to cut down but burn so warmly and last for hours. Most of the undergrowth looks to be berry brambles, but they look more like nightlock than anything else.

"If I wanted advice from a drunk, I'd talk to my father," Chase snapped at her mentor, who was just trying to help the poor girl with a few last minute bits of advice.

He didn't say another word, just stared at her for a moment or two before taking a drink from the glass in his hand. He then left, not even bothering to look back or wave goodbye.

Chase studies the scene in front of her. Her genius plan?

Dodge shit, run fast, and grab as much shit as she can without putting herself in danger.

Is it a good plan? No.

Is it a plan that's likely to work? Also no. But it's the only thing her tired mind can come up with.

When the countdown ends and the horns sound, most tributes lungs off their pedestals towards the Cornucopia.

Lewis goes backwards. He finds a path through the brush, avoiding the thorns that poke out everywhere. He's just going, getting himself as far from the action as possible.

There's a rustling noise from his right, and in a moment of blind panic, he grabs a fallen limb from the ground and holds it like a weapon. He knows it isn't going to be effective at all, but dammit, at least he'll go out swinging.

Finally, the source of the rustling is revealed. Lewis raises his stick, but soon drops it when he realizes it's Logan and the girl from his district, Ruby. They've each got a backpack, and he's got a short sword in his hand.

And out of all the things Lewis could say, he squeaks out, "Please don't kill me."

Logan looks bewildered. "Didn't your mentor tell you? We're allies, at least for now."

"She didn't tell me that. Or... if she did, I didn't hear it because I'm an idiot," he replies, forcing a laugh.

Ruby hands him her backpack, and the three of them continue the trek that Lewis started.

Ezra, however, pretty much takes control of the situation at the Cornucopia. A weapon in each hand, no one even gets close after he gets in position.

There's a pile of dead bodies around him, and blood drips down the weapons and onto his hands and clothing. He doesn't seem to care.

There's a few tributes that he makes a point not to attack. The boy from One ends up his ally. The girl from Twelve is such a dumbass but he plans on having some fun with taking her out. The boy from Three ends up getting pulled along with that moron Chase. The couple from Two and the idiot gay boy from Eleven disappear on him, as well as a handful of others that he doesn't care enough about to even identify.

Ronnie, the boy from One, stands a good distance away from Ezra within the Cornucopia. He looks scared, definitely unprepared for dealing with such a dangerous person.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you," Ezra snaps, rolling his eyes. "You're stuck with me for the time being."

"Lucky me," Ronnie remarks dryly.

Ezra rolls his eyes again, then starts picking through the supplies that are left. It's most of them, and he separates them into a few different piles.

"You could help me, you know," he says.

Ronnie sighs and sits down next to him, examining a first aid kit closely. "What's your plan?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out if you stop being a dick."

——————

[ this was written in like four and a half hours yeehaw

so, as it stands, the alliances are:
logan, ruby, lewis
ronnie, ezra
bailey, chase

there's still more named tributes running around, namely z alex harry and i think probably cody, as well as a few unnamed just to keep things open to more possibilities

i don't know where things are going tbh so,,, i'm as surprised as you