Illusions (A Hunger Games AU)

•FOUR•

I don't know why it took so long, but it finally hit me. I must have just been too nervous to think properly and blanked out on all good tactics. I'll do exactly what I did in some fights a couple years ago. It's quite easy to win them when you're tricking people's minds... and they say my powers are based off of dreams, haha! I need to regain my confidence after getting so nervous if I want to become the next victor (which is pretty obviously what I want right now, if not just going back to my normal life complete away from the Games and the ARI).

Luckily my powers would be quite useful for this. Not only just illusions, but the ability to put people in a sleep-paralysis like state and to create portals. People probably had way more powerful abilities though, but at least I've got something more than weapons going for me. If nobody wipes me out right at the start before I can calm myself down, then I think I'll stand a good chance of winning this. Does that sound arrogant? I really hope not.

I don't know about the others though. There were rumours going around about how powerful - and dangerous - Phillip could be, but rumours hardly ever tell the truth. Maintainers and normal Avas might be the first ones to go, but as an actual Overseer, I stand a chance. My partners were Overseers too though, which gives me powerful competition. Even if we ally, only 1 person gets to leave the arena. There have been cases of this not being enforced, but those were 3 out of all 49 games. One was because the last two tributes killed eachother at the same time, leaving no survivors.

Plus, this year is the 50th annual Hunger Games, which means they'll switch up the rules for the Quarter Quell. I've seen what happened on the 25th. "To represent how the rebellions affected more than just a few people in this society, we will adjust the tribute count to 72." They tripled the amount of people chosen just to prove a point. They didn't do this that year, I guess they want to keep their plans a surprise until we actually arrive at the city. Even ore nerve-racking than a normal Reaping announcement.

The Reaping played on our TV in the ship. Not only were we all filmed, but the other 12 tributes from all over the Overseer-owned territories. I could see the pain in my own face, my awkward smile where I should have been standing confidently... everyone else will probably think of me as a target. Now that I think about it, an approach like that could work, playing a weakling but revealing my true skills when necessary. I definitely know my looks would help play the part. People really underestimate me just for my height and "cutesy" look. However, it's been done before, by a Maintainer with no bad history at all. Anyway, I should stop overthinking and start to analyse my competition.

The cameras will probably focus on us again as we first enter the main land of the Overseers, so I had to quickly decide my plan before we had to go to bed, as being tired wouldn't help me to win at all. I would guess we only had about half an hour left before we had to go to our rooms. Do I play it weak or show them that I can be confident, even strong, when I try? Should I stick to the rules or show my hatred of these Games? Ugh, stop worrying so much Penny! That's the one thing I can't do in a literal life or death situation. I'll just play along to this illusion of being innocent, maybe people would think I was framed or something. They just need to wait until they take it too far.

I need a way to stand out though. Quietness can easily be interpreted as mysterious and not just looking intimidated, I could keep the naïve act for the actual arena. I need these Overseers to see that I can't be taken down as easily as they would like, but trying to be a threat but look harmless at the same time is almost impossibly difficult.

I need sleep, honestly. I walked into my room, which would have to be shared with Jaymi as there was one above the usual number of passengers, and tried my best to sleep. She wanted to talk though. I kept my true thoughts silent as I wanted to keep the alliance as well, but please... shut up and go to sleep. I told her I was tired and needed rest, and we could talk in the morning. How did this girl possibly do something to get her in the ARI?