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Alistair stepped into the launch tube wearing the arena outfit. His plate rose into open air - a tropical island arena surrounded by azure waters.
The other tribute plates clicked into place as a voice boomed - "Let the 75th Hunger Games begin!"
Alistair steadied his nerves with a breath. Back in the Games. The stuff of his nightmares.
"May the odds be ever in your favor," the announcer said. Such false well-wishes never applied here.
The countdown commenced. Alistair tensed, ready to sprint. He needed to get to land, and locate Katniss and Johanna. Fight for survival again.
Finally reaching one, the voice shouted "ONE!"
At one, Alistair dove off his plate into the water, paddling swiftly toward land. His goal - secure a weapon from the Cornucopia before some of the deadlier tributes.
Dragging himself ashore, Alistair sprinted to the golden horn and snatched up a bow with a sheath of arrows along with throwing knives.
Turning swiftly knife poised to attack, he found himself facing Gloss. She froze and raised her hands in a cautious truce. Alistair hesitated, then tilted his head for her to move on.
Gloss nodded gratefully before whipping her own knife past Alistair. He spun to see the District 5 male collapse to the ground, her knife in his chest. An intentional miss - she had spared him.
Not waiting around, Alistair took off running. He needed to locate Johanna and Katniss. Taking the treeline, Alistair sensed danger and dropped just as a knife whistled past where his head had been.
Alistair deftly avoided another knife swung at him from the water. Loading his bow, he turned to find Finnick approaching, trident aimed warily.
Alistair's eyes narrowed. "You trying to kill me?"
"Why would I kill you?" Finnick countered, scanning their surroundings.
Alistair kept his arrow aimed warily at Finnick. "Maybe because you keep throwing knives at my head?"
Finnick frowned, glancing around for the assailant. "That wasn't me. I just got here." His posture seemed genuine.
Their standoff was interrupted by another knife slicing between them. Both jumped back.
"We need to move, figure this out later," Finnick said. "Where are Katniss and Johanna?"
Alistair hesitated before gesturing north. "Saw smoke through the trees that way. A signal."
Finnick nodded. "Mags is waiting there too. Come on then, ally. Safest to stick together for now. But stay sharp!"
Finnick took off running, Alistair following cautiously.
A prickle on the back of Alistair's neck made him spin and loose an arrow without hesitating. It pierced directly into the chest of the District 8 female, knives glinting in her hands. She stared at them in shock before crumpling.
