JER's Tournament/Ninth Act: The Tournament, Day One

Tournament: Day One, 12:00 PM-12:15 PM
"...And there's the starting gong! One Tribute is knocked out cold..."

-- Selto Mandani

As Willow Thorne
A mine explosion before the gong? That's a first...

I had to charge out to get something good, but when I searched over my options, there was so many items and so little time. I gathered a leather bag and a handful of daggers to get started, and ran out of the mess forming in the Arena. I needed more items if I were to survive... but who should I kill to get them, first?


 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 12.48 seconds after the Tournament begins (AT): Olivia Ceriø (Ohio, 379th Place)
 * Cause of death: Decapitated by Drent Helton's katana
 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 13.15 seconds after the Tournament begins (AT): Sage Whitaker (Connecticut, 378th Place)
 * Cause of death: Spear shot through the eye by Bodiay Durien

As Anon...
There's the Cornucopia. I have all the supplies I need. I must hide inside it...

I pulled out two swords and charged into the fight. A girl from Chiapas was caught into the bloodlust of my twin swords. Then they caught two more people within moments of each other, and I could imagine the agony on their faces. However, Someone else was already raiding the Cornucopia, so I had to deal with him...

He noticed me and defended me using his lead pipe. We were deadlocked for a few seconds when I realized, I could use other people's attacks against him. In that moment, I managed to redirect an attack made by Helice Neneme onto him. He didn't see it coming... and I slid past him.

The cornucopia seemed straighter, wider, and deeper, from the inside. I also saw something else on the other side, so I went for it. Just then, the Cornucopia was slammed repeatedly by an unknown assailant, and as I was halfway through, someone shot an arrow, which I had successfully caught, despite being trapped like sardines in this metal canister.

Once I made it out, I was in some sort of convention center. What is this place?


 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 13.68 AT: Jacob Rios (Baja California, 377th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed twice by Regel Torrance
 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 13.92 AT: Karen Gillian (Durango, 376th Place)
 * Cause of death: Clubbed by mace by Dreden Ledrada
 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 14.17 AT: Viviana Torres (Chiapas, 375th Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced in half by Anon...
 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 14.59 AT: Lynx Ifes (Saskatchewan, 374th Place)
 * Cause of death: Shot by arrow by Alex Beltron
 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 15.28 AT: Marisela Baca (Chiapas, 373rd Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced through by Anon...
 * 0 hours, 0 minutes, 15.58 AT: Steve Anderson (Ontario, 372nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced through by Anon...

As SerpentKing999
I found something on the ground I could use... a crowbar! Now, let's start the party!

Someone rammed up to me, and I knocked his brain loose. Two more bludgeons spilled his brains out. That was a good start. There was another coming toward me. That guy needed some iron. BAM, straight to the head. Another one out.

I found King, already slamming someone repeatedly against the Cornucopia. That had to kill the victim, but I didn't want a piece of King just yet. As for the other Tributes, here comes another. I smashed her head and swiped her loot. I've decided to run out of the Bloodbath, killing someone else along the way and gaining more supplies.


 * 00:00:16.02 AT: Marco Sanchez (Coahuila, 371st Place)
 * Cause of death: Blugeoned by SerpentKing999's crowbar
 * 00:00:16.58 AT: Heren Iapas (Baja California Sur, 370th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Ebony Black's trident
 * 00:00:17.12 AT: Lessly Ruiz (Ontario, 369th Place)
 * Cause of death: Slashed through by FableWarrior's machete
 * 00:00:17.37 AT: Selda Ineidas (Puerto Rico, 368th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed on both sides by Yoselin Espinoza and TheDarkness7
 * 00:00:18.12 AT: Kevin Cato (British Columbia, 367th Place)
 * Cause of death: Bludgeoned by SerpentKing999's crowbar
 * 00:00:18.83 AT: Matt Smith (Quebec, 366th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed in the throat by Bodiay Durien's spear
 * 00:00:19.04 AT: Scremner Ulton (Saskatchewan, 365th Place)
 * Cause of death: Helice Neneme's spear deflected by Anon..., and as a result, resulted in being stabbed through the liver

As Gale Hawthorne
I had only realized, when I had picked up the knife, when I gutted out the Tribute's throat, that it was my first time killing a human. The Games have turned me into a monster... and yet, I wanted more. I stole the dead Tribute's mace and added a bottle of snake venom to both the knife and the mace. If anyone would kill with fatality, it would have to be me.

I charged through the crowd, taking out another four while severly injuring a fifth and sixth, before I realized that I needed to escape. I found Peeta, currently slicing through a Tribute while using... a burning-hot sword? Where did he get that?

"Gale, over here!" he shouted. I rushed to his side and stabbed another guy going after him. Peeta was impressed. "Wow, you've been at it, right?"

"Yes, I have," I answered. "Let's get out. I'm all stocked for the Games." We rushed out of the stadium with some others, and found someone who asked us something as we ran.

"Should we be allies?" he asked.

He seemed to be one to really dish out the kills like crazy, so I answered, "We are allies."

"Okay," he confirmed. "I'm SerpentKing999, and I know who you two are. Also, I know exactly where we are playing the Games in."

He might as well have figured it out, because there are Capitol-like buildings all over the Arena. "What do you call this place?" I wondered.

He gave me two words: "Los Angeles."


 * 00:00:19.68 AT: Kurow Chan (Queretaro, 364th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed in the throat by Gale Hawthorne
 * 00:00:20.23 AT: Andrew Saucedo (Tennessee, 363rd Place)
 * Cause of death: Smashed into the Cornucopia repeatedly by King
 * 00:00:20.35 AT: Bailey Henderson (Vermont, 362nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Bludgeoned by SerpentKing999's crowbar
 * 00:00:20:85 AT: Evan Clark (New Brunswick, 361st Place)
 * Cause of death: Beaten by Gale Hawthorne's mace
 * 00:00:21:14 AT: Alexis Ortega (Tennessee, 360th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Thomas Adamson's sword
 * 00:00:21:32 AT: Thomas Adamson (Alberta, 359th Place)
 * Cause of death: Decapitated by Alexis Espinoza's battleaxe

As Haldy Snide
Fauve Allsworth and I had decided to team up on this one, killing as many as we can, and collecting as much as we can. We had killed about three collectively when I felt a spear pierce my throat. I turned around for a brief second, and I saw Fauve Allsworth give me a knowing grin. That backstabbing little...


 * 00:00:21.46 AT: Nick Heron (Pennsylvania, 358th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Haldy Snide and Fauve Allsworth
 * 00:00:22:14 AT: Miguel-Bryon Hernandez (Ontario, 357th Place)
 * Cause of death: Bludgeoned by SerpentKing999's crowbar
 * 00:00:22:38 AT: Maria Aparicio (Morelos, 356th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Gale Hawthorne's knife
 * 00:00:22:59 AT: Crenta Mentins (Prince Edward Island, 355th Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced in half by Fauve Allsworth
 * 00:00:23:02 AT: Jesse Portillo (Wisconsin, 354th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed twice by Haldy Snide
 * 00:00:23:25 AT: Jude L (New Hampshire, 353rd Place)
 * Caused of death: Smashed in the head by Gale Hawthorne's mace

As InsertRandomnessHere
I freaked out when I saw Elivaalova's dead form. She was my friend. She helped me through all that I had done. She couldn't be gone... I've decided to save her, one way or the other.

Luckily, there was a slender, yet sturdy metal pipe next to me, so I decided to take that with me in case there was trouble. I hauled her as far as I could, and we made it out of the stadium thirty seconds after the Tournament had started. I saw a building a distance away. We'll rest there, and I'll try to revive her myself.


 * 00:00:23.82 AT: Emma Nicoletta (Michigan, 352nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced by Nomin Dregg's scythe
 * 00:00:24.42 AT: Pronchel Quanter (Idaho, 351st Place)
 * Cause of death: Torn open by Militica Xeve
 * 00:00:24.67 AT: Elsia Denes (Puerto Rico, 350th Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced open by Gale Hawthorne's knife
 * 00:00:25.10 AT: Haldy Snide (New Hampshire, 349th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed through by Fauve Allsworth's spear

As Cesar Arrezola
I love this omnicide... it gets me riled up...

I already had fought for a backpack and some weapons, but I've decided to kill some more people out there, like this one right here. He was a feisty one, wasn't he?


 * 00:00:26.18 AT: Atahualpa Contreras (Campeche, 348th Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced open by Cesar Arrezola
 * 00:00:26.77 AT: Jenna Orange (Aguascalientes, 347th Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced through by Peeta Mellark's burning-hot sword
 * 00:00:27.19 AT: Breda Herard (Maine, 346th Place)
 * Cause of death: Clubbed repeatedly by Primrose1444
 * 00:00:27.91 AT: JTFasho13 (Ohio, 345th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed through the heart by Onden Sazen

As Onden Sazen
I did it... I killed my first Tribute! Wait... now that's a backstabbing...
 * 00:00:28.59 AT: Onden Sazen (Delaware, 344th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed in the back by Dark Matter
 * 00:00:29.92 AT: Sestia Repal (Arizona, 343rd Place)
 * Cause of death: Sawed through by Eduardo Espinoza
 * 00:00:30.51 AT: Rekand Hikan (Hawaii, 342nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Gale Hawthorne

As Sparrow Hazelthorn (viewer; future Tribute)
So many Tributes dead in thirty seconds, and yet, some are still going for the big prizes closest to the Cornucopia. However, most of these Tributes have enough sense to leave the Rose Bowl (the starting point of this Tournament) with their lives. A few stay and deal with the Tributes who remain, and the rest... well, we won't be seeing them later on.

As for now, many of the smarter Tributes are leaving the stadium, while some of the Tributes, mainly those who have high recognition status or just need good items to survive, are still surrounding the Cornucopia, especially Anon... who looks like she isn't coming out of the Cornucopia anytime soon...

So many people have been killed so far... but I have just tuned in, so I don't know much so far. Someone told me that 15 Tributes have died in this Tournament in 19 seconds, so I decide to rush to the television in response. The 25th second had already elapsed, but so much blood was shed five seconds afterward. This had to be life-changing...

Something stopped me from watching more of it, though. Someone was calling me, and I had to answer...


 * 00:00:32.16 AT: Ferardas Ciago (Tlaxcala, 341st Place)
 * Cause of death: Shot in the eye by Alexis Espinoza's spear
 * 00:00:33.56 AT: Persephone Anderson (Nayarit, 340th Place)
 * Cause of death: Choked to death by Cato Parce
 * 00:00:34.73 AT: Adonay Mesa (Hidalgo, 339th Place)
 * Cause of death: Arms sliced off by Ariana Espinoza

As Thresh Delin
Everyone seems to be leaving this place, although some dozen or so are sticking around. They need to leave if they want to live... but, of course, they don't listen. I don't want to teach them a lesson, but if they insist...

With my newly-acquired stone axe (great blunt weapon, by the way), I smacked the brains out of two Tributes easily. Rue was evacuated outside of the stadium, where I can find her after I take care of some of these Tributes.


 * 00:00:37.18 AT: Vicky Chong (Kentucky, 338th Place)
 * Cause of death: Head smashed in by Thresh Delin
 * 00:00:38.83 AT: Orochi Chan (Kentucky, 337th Place)
 * Cause of death: Head smashed in by Thresh Delin

As Glimmer Faz
Almost everyone left, even the Espinozas, and we were only 40 seconds in the Tournament. It seems like they have better things to do. I guess the killings will have to wait...

The only thing is, a few Tributes are still in this stadium, besides Marvel and me. Cato and Clove are still here, which is odd, since they were allied with us before (I don't remember when), but want to deal with us now. Also, Thresh is here, and so is Thresh, and oddly enough, Dark Matter. Six of us are still standing in this stadium.

"Our alliance never existed," Cato announced, "and anyone who says otherwise will taste their own blood."

"Agreed," I answered. At that moment, I pulled out a gun. The only thing was, it was a tranquilizer gun. Oh, well. It's better to kill Cato and Clove later, when everyone is yearning for a true battle.

I shot twice, and accurately, which knocked them both out. That took care of those two, but Thresh and Dark Matter are still around... Wait, they're gone. That's odd.

The cannons came off. It took me two minutes to count them all, but it was definitely past forty. That was weak. With 380 Tributes competing, I think the Games have lost their touch.

Tournament: Day One, 12:15 PM-1:00 PM
The Bloodbath had ended a lot quicker than expected, but everyone is sill out for blood, even though some don't show it...

As Dark Matter (Pasadena)
The excitement of the first minute has died down fifteen minutes ago, and I need to get a better view of this Arena, since it looks a lot like a city. There are tall buildings to my south, so I should start there. It seems like miles to cross, though...

Luckily, I find a car just outside of the stadium I started in, and since I was the only one on record to know how to start one without a key (courtesy of Yesare Dernes and her private training nights), I could reach the buildings in about ten minutes. The only problem is, I don't know how to navigate the path. Once I get in, I know that I will have to improvise.

I start by going south until I find an elevated road. While I was driving, though, I ran over a Tribute. Oh, well...


 * 00:18:25.45 AT: Rita Summer (Ohio, 336th Place)
 * Cause of death: Ran over by Dark Matter's car

As Julie Kim (Pasadena)
I traveled east of the Rose Bowl and settled in a building. This settlement will only be temporary, though, but I could create a security system to keep Tributes from dicing me and throwing me away. (Wait, did I hear a cannon shot somewhere?)

I settled in the highest rooms of the building, where I could get a better view of the Arena. It wasn't the best view out there, I bet, but it's best not to rush. I found out that it was a residential building, since a bed was in one of the rooms, and a refrigerator with a surprising amount of food in it (seriously, why would the Gamemakers do this?) in another. What kind of trap is this?

I sat on the bed and took inventory of the items I found around the Cornucopia. I have a sword, an airhorn (nice for psychological warfare), a spear tipped with a shard of glass (very ecological), and an empty backpack (what are they doing?). As for the items in this room, I might as well add them to my inventory. I stuffed a blanket in the backpack and found a plastic bag to store the food. However, since I hadn't had lunch yet, I might as well take in some food...

As Stephanie Mendez (Pasadena)
I'm currently walking west across a mountainous landscape, which, oddly enough, included a residential zone for the first 1000 feet. After going through the houses for extra supplies, I entered a forest and went uphill, hoping that I wouldn't get lost.

I rested at supposedly forty minutes after the Tournament began, and heard a rustling in a nearby bush. To stay safe, I pulled out a pitchfork and stepped slowly toward the potential danger.

A head of a Tribute popped out of the bush, and I was the foolish one who asked if we could be allies. He shot an arrow into my brain and I flashed out of existence...


 * 00:43:29.61 AT: Stephanie Mendez (Utah, 335th Place)
 * Cause of death: Arrow shot into her brain by Razor Raptor

As Racmany (viewer; future Tribute)
A helicopter landed in my backyard yesterday, and I was ordered by the Refined Union of Empartia to get in and fly to the nearest airport. Once I was there, I flew to a city which was literally floating in the sky and landed in another airport, where someone known as Yesare Dernes greeted me.

"We need people like you," Yesare Dernes told me.

"Do you mean, as a Tribute?" I demanded. "You can't expect me--"

"No," she replied. "You would make a fine Gamemaker."

I was escorted to a building where many people were on computers, monitoring everything on different screens, and reporting different events to each other, like the amount of Tributes dead (46), the alliances recognized, and the sponsorships requested. There were also reports of military teams conquering different parts of North America, like most of Ohio and Ontario, and half of Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Tennessee.

"We have appointed you and some others as specialized Gamemakers, due to experience in online test tournaments," Yesare explained. "Those Gamemakers were chosen to manage this Tournament so nothing goes drastic or otherwise gravely wrong for our organization. However, you and another were so excelled in the tests that you two will be running for the position of Head Gamemaker."

"Really?" I wondered. "Who is the other candidate?"

"She'll be coming this way soon enough," Yesare assured. "In fact, I've received word that she'll be landing in about a minute. In the meantime, seat yourself down." She assigned me to a desktop computer with lots of functions and shortcut keys. The monitor showed an alliance making their way down a street. I pushed a keyboard button, and the monitor showed something else, this time two Tributes fighting each other with swords. I then pressed another button and their swords melted. The Tributes recoiled in shock and blinding pain. I shouldn't have done that...

"Racmany, meet your opponent," Yesare told me from behind me. I turned around to find someone who introduced herself as Sparrow Hazelthorn.

Tournament: Day One, 1:00 PM-2:00 PM
"It's been one hour and 46 Tributes have died so far..."

--Selto Mandani

As Emberstrike5 (Pasadena)
I fought against Ivan Carranza in a swordfight, but our swords instantaneously melted once they clashed. Liquid steel flew everywhere, and we received numerous burns. What kind of Gamemaker would allow this atrocious act?

I don't think any of us can continue like this anymore. "How about we call it a draw?" I proposed. "We stay away from each other and come back here tomorrow, okay?"

Ivan Carranza hesitated, but finally gave me an answer... in the form of a knife wound to the shoulder. He ran down of the stairs, and I followed in hot pursuit, holding his knife. Once we left the building, he kept running, but was unfortunate to look back. For that, he recovered his knife straight in his throat. A cannon boomed, assuring me that he will no longer need the knife.

I held my new knife in my hand, ready to face the world... again... this time with a higher chance for me to win...


 * 1 hour, 2 minutes, 47.08 seconds AT (01:02:47.08 AT): Ivan Carranza (Quintana Roo, 334th Place)
 * Cause of death: Throat cut through by Emberstrike5's knife

As Emily McCann (Pasadena)
My alliance with TDR had been cut off a while back, and now, he's with Primrose1444 in another area. We had a deal, and since he broke it, I'll have to break him as soon as I'm better armed.

As of now, I'm currently heading north (hopefully) toward a set of mountains. It's no guarantee I'll make it, but I don't want to risk it in the city. It's too wide open, and the city adds more hazards than undeveloped land-- Wait, what's that in the distance?

It looks like a silhouette, but even with the light hitting it (since it's in a clearing), it is practically painted in black. It's coming toward me, and I don't think it's friendly...

I ran around him, but he started to catch up. Suprisingly, he seemed to run as fast as I am... or even faster than I am. It kept chasing me, and I knew that I needed to climb up a tree, which I was lucky to do, since it reached the tree while I was on a branch twelve feet high. What I didn't expect was that he touched the tree and set it on fire.

I was trapped in a smouldering tree, and since I needed a way out and couldn't jump to another tree, I jumped out of the tree and ran hard. Too bad I turned back, because he jumped on me and I felt a jolt fry me to a crisp...


 * 01:12:12.43 AT: Emily McCann (Pennsylvania, 333rd Place)
 * Cause of death: Fried by a Shockstalker

As Annie Cresta (Glendale)
The sign welcomed me into Glendale, which is probably a separate section of the Arena. I looked behind me and found out that I left Pasadena. The names these days...

I entered one of the buildings and found a map, titled "Glendale, California". (Isn't California part of the Western Lands?) I picked it up and decided to take it with me, but I didn't read it until I entered the room on the highest floor.

Glendale alone looked like it was miles across, and who knows if the Arena itself extends even further... I don't know what to do next besides resting here and organizing myself, since 48 Tributes are dead...

In fact, one of the items I have received was a small screen which always displays a number, which I have theorized to mean the number of Tributes still alive, since it ticks down whenever a cannon is shot. It was marked with the number 340 when I found it, and now it's at 336.

As for who were killed, I'll have to see the night sky to find out...

As Griselda Sandoval (Pasadena)
My alliance with the rest of Sinaloa is currently fragmented, since Christina Espinoza and Edgar Valencia are nowhere to be found. Adam Lopez is with me, though, so we're traveling east along what appears to be Interstate 210 to find them. I don't know if they are dead, but I hope not, because they are the only allies I can bring to our side.

I heard a low rumbling sound that stopped me in my tracks. However, no earthquake came after five minutes of standing around, so we stood up and kept walking along the highway. Once we started walking again, an explosion destroyed an overpass in front of us. The results were disastrous. Chunks of concrete flew everywhere, and one stoned Adam right in the head. A cannon came off, but my only ally was still breathing. I had to drag him away from the scene to avoid more problems, but then another cannon came off. Who was killed this time?

Yeji Lee and CryOfTheWolf ran onto the highway by on-ramp, but it seems that they were running away from the explosion more than toward us. Just seconds before we met, a third cannon came off, and this time I truly thought Adam was dead. As for the two running away from the explosion, they ran past us, warning us all of the Creepers...

I had to run along with them, abandoning the lifeless husk of meat once known as my ally, to ask, "What Creeper? What is a Creeper, exactly?"

CryOfTheWolf turned his head, but kept running. "The Creepers are green stalks of walking explosives which just happened to crush part of North Carolina's alliance. We lost Nirav and Yursee."

"The explosion killed Adam, too," I shared. "The rest of my alliance is lost in who-knows-where. It's best if we team up."

"Agreed," CryOfTheWolf answered. "Now, let's worry about the death count once those Creepers are far behind us." I couldn't agree more.


 * 01:23:57.63 AT: Nirav Desai (North Carolina, 332nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Crushed by a collapsing overpass
 * 01:24:02.29 AT: Yursee Casio (North Carolina, 331st Place)
 * Cause of death: Crushed by a collapsing overpass
 * 01:24:13.45 AT: Adam Lopez (Sinaloa, 330th Place)
 * Cause of death: Bludgeoned by a rock disloged from an explosion

As Jedwas Fintrel (South Pasadena)
My walk south with only Brony12 as an ally has been fruitless so far. It's been at least 90 minutes into this Tournament, and we already know that all the other Delaware Tributes chose to be my rivals, so I don't know who to trust. Even Brony12 looks a little shady...

I decide to stop at a building I noticed and check the inside for supplies. It turns out that another group of Tributes followed us to the top floor, so we had to fight our way out. However, I decided to stab Brony in the back to ensure that he doesn't double-cross me.

As for the others, I slid behind the first one and snapped his neck. A sharp sting penetrated my arm just after the second cannon sounded. However, before she could get away, I caught her by the hand and swung her straight into a wall. That gave me enough time to tie a rope around her neck, but not for killing purposes... at least not yet.

"Identify yourself," I commanded.

"The name is Kalle Freon," she answered, "and you just killed Braliford Court, my one ally."

"Enough of that," I interrupted. "What was that you injected into my arm?"

"Injected...?" she answered nervously.

I pulled out the syringe, which by looking at it found out was labeled 'smallpox'. "Did you plan to kill me with this?"

"Uh..." She was so terrified that she couldn't even finish her own sentences.

"Because of you, my days are numbered," I told her. "That also means, your days will match mine exactly." I took the syringe and injected her with the rest of the disease, ensuring that we both fall to the same fate. After that, I grabbed the rope she was tied to, and dragged her alongside me, ensuring that she works under my name.

Additional note: Jedwas Fintrel and Kalle Freon are currently marked as the first, and only, people in the 21st Century to be infected by the smallpox virus.
 * 01:34:15.62 AT: Brony12 (Texas, 329th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed in the back by Jedwas Fintrel
 * 01:34:20.35 AT: Braliford Court (Nunavut, 328th Place)
 * Cause of death: Neck snapped by Jedwas Fintrel

As Moviepopcorn123 (Glendale)
There must have been over fifty deaths so far, and we haven't even been through the night yet. If I need to win, I need to stay out of everyone else's way, and in order to do that, I will need to head west, toward the sunset (even though it's 1:45 PM).

I have no alliance, but knowing the Gamemakers (and I do, since I was once a Gamemaker in an online test), they won't do anything too drastic since there are so many deaths. In that case, I'll be safe for at least a week. However, I don't know how far I will go west, since the Gamemakers might round me up and send me in the other direction in about two weeks, at the least.

Tournament: Day One, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM
"I see the forces... I see them. They're coming by the thousands... no, the hundreds of thousands. To say that we are outnumbered is an understatement."

-Anonymous U.S. Army officer, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Division

The Battle of Lubbock (omniscient point of view)
As the menacing army marched through the streets of Lubbock and further into Texas, another battalion of the U.S. Army, sent in from El Paso, had just stationed themselves half a mile into Lubbock and joined the battalion already holding their ground.

The invaders came in unannounced, firing upon the populace, and sterilizing the downtown district with one shattering blow. They dominated the sky and wreaked havoc from above, downing the Air Force into the riotous mess that both sides have contributed to. They dominated the landscape, sweeping through the area for any threats, and disposing them in the quickest manner that they can. They even dominated underground, thus using surprise attacks against U.S. Army bases.

Thousands were killed, possibly -- no, definitely -- marking the biggest civilian death count ever measured on U.S. soil. Those who weren't killed -- about one in eight -- were captured and hauled to places unknown. The Army and Air Force put up a good fight, but that only added to the bedlam, and even they can't seem to keep up the pace with the invasion.

It wasn't only here in Texas, either. Parts all over North America, from Nunavut in Canada, to Chiapas in Mexico, were all being attacked by the same assailant. Los Angeles came down first. Everyone who could evacuate did so in the most chaotic manner possible, scattering their population in all directions. Some of them were stationed in Camp Pendleton, but a bomb raid killed off ninety percent of the population, and civilians were ordered to move again. Some traveled west, along the coast, or north, to the Central Valley, overpacking the regions so much that rations were ordered across the Valley, and shelter was made anywhere that was inhabitable. Those who went east had a long list of where to go, but leaving California wasn't encouraged, especially since the raids came in arbitrarily.

As for the Salvation Crusaders -- whose identity was revealed this morning -- they were reported missing, and only today was their mission revealed. Points were made by conspiracy theorists that the Empartia Project and the massive invasions are linked... which people are left to hope that it's not so. As of now, at least fifty million people are involved in this North American struggle, one way or another...

As Anon.... (Los Angeles)
I can only sum up one sentence of what has happened so far: I am in downtown Los Angeles.

When I craled through the opening of the Cornucopia, I somehow ended up in the Staples Center. There was a freeway nearby, so I followed that for a while, which led me to an interchange with another highway. The problem was, it was clogged with so many cars that it was a miracle that I was able to get through. I never saw this kind of traffic before, but I knew what cities were capable of this level of traffic congestion, if it was an actual city and not an illusion.

After getting through the city, and setting up camp in one of the buildings, I have been increasingly convinced that I am in Los Angeles, California. However, I still don't know how they were able to rent out an entire city...

A package came to me by parachute, and I opened it. All I found inside was seven small loaves of bread, all shaped like letters. I laid them out like this: MRANYAC

What could this mean? I know that there's a message encrypted in here, but I'm left in the dark. I'll have to translate it later. I decide to put it back in my backpack to solve later.

As FableWarrior (Burbank)
Making it to Burbank is a daunting task if no one knows how to start a car, but I was able to find a bike to help me. The only problem is, I'm already exausted by the time I reach Burbank, so I have to rest here if I want to continue, which I'm not sure if I want to continue.

As for Anthony Gonzales, he promised me that he will meet me here by tomorrow morning. I don't know if he will keep his word or not, but I know when I can survive on my own. I have no alliance as of yet, since I killed a California Tribute and ultimately severed an alliance. It doesn't matter, really, since my mission was to attack the Californian alliance. I don't have time to worry about the others...

As InsertRandomnessHere (Pasadena)
Elivaalova was dead for over two hours now, and I tried everything to wake her up. Though she miraculously stayed in one piece after the explosion took her life, her death feels permanent, and I can't accept that. I would wish that FableWarrior would get what he deserves, but wishes can't be redeemed here.

However, something jolted me -- and I don't mean a simple thought -- when I touched a chair made of steel. After that shock I received from that chair, I wondered if I can revive her by simply using electricity...

As Cato Parce (Rose Bowl)
Once we woke up after that meeting with our former allies, everyone had already left the stadium. Clove and I were the only ones who remained, and we had no supplies in our possesion. The only thing that came out on the good side of our situation was a sponsor gift which landed in front of us.

It contained a watch, and we found out that two hours have passed since we were both dealt with. That left us behind the curve. We needed to hide, and quickly...

As JERealize (Altadena)
I had no idea why I was following Katniss and Rue, but it had occured to me that I could definitely sever their alliance if I can use the right moment to my advantage without getting skewered.

After FableWarrior killed Elivaalova, I broke up with the other Californian Tributes, since Eliva is dead, FableWarrior is out of control, and InsertRandomnessHere must be an emotional wreck. Allying with my brothers will be pointless, and asking some rare stranger to be my ally is ill-advised. Even allying with Katniss and Rue is laughable, since they are much more excelled than I am.

My journal has been fully stocked of my adventures, and it has been two hours and twenty minutes so far. At this point, I'm figuring out what plan to use against them, even though they might end it all in a heartbeat. However, I need one of their weapons... and I thought of an idea, which I will use at midnight...

As Typingwestern015 (Glendale)
It's probably 2:30, and my kill list is pretty short. People won't think it matters, but I do...

At that moment, Timothy Kim and Edward Jung came from out of nowhere, and my reflexes threw one into another, which stabbed both of them. I ran back to Pasadena, hoping that my wishes no longer come true...


 * 02:32:45.68 AT: Timothy Kim (Oregon, 327th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Edward Jung's knife
 * 02:32:45.92 AT: Edward Jung (Oregon, 326th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Timothy Kim's knife

As Seder Torrance (South Pasadena)
Being by myself isn't so bad, but it gets lonely without someone to talk to, and then kill. Only the most vicious can survive. However, if there's no one around, where's the fun in that? There must have been groups fighting each other, because two more cannons boomed in the near-silence.

They're lucky, I thought. Whoever is fighting those two are lucky...

As Militica Xeve (Alhambra)
I am unsure of what to do next. Right now, I'm walking south and somehow ended up in Alhambra. I think this Tournament might have used too big an Arena, though...

If my geography class taught me anything, it's that the Los Angeles Area is HUGE. It's even bigger than New York, which would strike people odd to know that. Los Angeles has about as many cities as the world has countries. Aside from the actual LA itself, there's Long Beach, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine, Riverside, San Bernardino, Burbank, Glendale, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach... Pasadena would especially be considered a part of Los Angeles in general. This is messing me up...

(Remind me never to take geography again if I ever escape this death trap.)

As Lucero Andrade (San Marino)
Our alliance with the rest of Quintana Roo has lost a member, but I still believe that our alliance consists of weak Tributes. So, as we walk through the Arena, we've decided to stop to rest, and I've decided to talk with Borego Fienisco in the alleyway, away from Orgata Wasco, about eliminating one more...

"You want to kill Orgata Wasco?" Borego realized when I told him my plan. "You have lost your grip on reality. You know that, right?"

"She's dragging us down. I can't lose because of her incompetence." In reality, I didn't even know her, but her Training Score doesn't leave me to trust her.

"We're not killing our allies, and you have to get used to it," he stated. "Sorry." He left, but we were away from prying eyes, so I smashed his head with a baseball bat and poured motor oil down his throat. Then, I returned to Orgata, pretending to be terrified.

"The Creepers attacked Borego," I warned. "We have to leave." We ran out, with me not worrying about the victim of this incident...


 * 03:28:12.83 AT: Borego Fienisco (Quintana Roo, 325th Place)
 * Cause of death: Killed by the actions of Lucero Andrade

As Yesare Dernes (3:45 PM)
As I had remembered, I had rewatched every Games in the history of Panem to prepare for anything and to intensify everything. As the pre-Panem days are greater than Panem itself, there has been more -- many more -- Tributes added from different states instead of Districts. As the streets prove for more turmoil during war, they are all sent into a modern North American city, in this case Los Angeles of the future Western Lands.

However, acquiring Los Angeles as an Arena was no easy task. A month ago, I filled out pages of paperwork in order to rent out the city, but the mayor, the governor, and even the so-called "president", declared it unlawful and rejected it. Their mistake had me starting the war against them earlier than usual. Just hours after the Interviews, Empartia's armies initiated a classic blitzkrieg maneuver to overrun the coastal areas, then bombed the area east of the coast. Suprisingly, their defending army was competent, so it took five hours and prototype molecular weakening technology for them to retreat to an army base south of Los Angeles. We then established a forcefield around the perimeter of the Arena and built tunnels connecting the Inland areas with Pasadena in a matter of hours. Compared with building a floating civilization, this was easy.

Some of the Tributes had struck the audience of over two billion viewers with stunning actions. InsertRandomnessHere tried to revive Elivaalova, but failed, and found a note in her pocket, which contained a black swan necklace. Dark Matter had not only ran over a Tribute and reached Los Angeles, but had also laid traps around the downtown area, which seems to affect Anon...'s decisions, as she found the secret path to Los Angeles. JERealize, my former colleague, is following Katniss and Rue into the forest in the north. Earth12, already at Glendale like so many others, is staying inside the remnants of a building, bored. TheDarkness7, now following State Route 110 toward Los Angeles, was looking for Anon..., while in an alliance with Daniel Martinez and Raul Hernandez. So many others are around, yet it's hard to keep track of them all.

As for the war against North America, resistance has become more competent, as foreign armies are being sent in from all over the world, especially from the European Union (which will turn out to be a group of warring factions in the centuries ahead), and China (which, in the future, will lose most of its workforce and form a union with India), both of which willingly sent them out in droves. There is no doubt global impact due to these actions, since Afghanistan lost a chunk of land to Iraq, and large amounts of immigrants are clawing their way into other countries, passport or no passport.

Here in "Gamemaker Central", Racmany and Sparrow Hazelthorn will be voted on for Head Gamemaker status. Anyone residing outside of North America, including Empartia, can vote, and voting will end in four hours, with the winner to be announced one hour after that.

But for now, I decided to make an announcement to all Tributes, which will cause some sort of mayhem for a while.

As Eviane Grentrom (Arcadia)
Our alliance with the Grentroms and Nenemes are taking a rest to clear our heads of anxiety long enough to figure out what to do now. So far, we haven't killed many people, but our society is thriving, if only for a short time. We were stationed atop a building, getting a glimpse of the Arena, and wondering how far it extends.

"If I know correctly," Kentom hypothesized, "this Arena consists of thousands of square miles. We could end up hopelessly lost in this urban mess."

"Not even Halifax was this big a mess," Denectre though.

"Forget Halifax," Helice interfered. "New York City is more populated, and not even it covers so much land."

Just then, a fanfare disrupted the conversation. We looked up to see the seal of an unknown country, then watch it turn into a giant screen enveloping the sky. Yesare Dernes was on that screen, and we knew we were in for a life-changing announcement.

As Gale Hawthorne (Burbank)
There she was, in the sky. Yesare was about to make an announcement to us all.

"We, the audience of Empartia, have decided to add another stipulation to the Games. After public vote by our citizens, we have decided that, effective immediately until the start of Day Three, all alliances are to be disbanded. Violation of that rule shall be punished by death in the most entertaining action to the audience."

"So... you plan to split us all up and kill us one by one?" I thought to myself, resisting the urge to break the fourth wall.

"Gale, don't be that disappointed," she answered, as if she heard me. "Besides, only alliances will be targeted. So, split up or kill each other. It's your choice." The screen faded back into the Capitol seal, and then into the afternoon sky.

What should I do? Should I leave now, or wait around?

As Jacob55111 (Burbank)
Yesare's announcement severed my alliance with Joekeybladeaura, and our alliance was a little shaky... Okay, to be honest, I never liked him. I never liked him or Panther12 or Earth12, which up and left us a while back. Killing off Joekeybladeaura and Panther12 will be a pleasure. However... judging by the looks on their faces, they don't relent.

Joekeybladeaura suddenly dropped dead, a dagger through his chest. Panther12 eyed me hungrily, and I don't think she wanted an afternoon snack.

I pulled out my sword and defended myself, but it seemed she had already shot a knife into my leg before I pulled out my weapon. I lost grip of my weapon and fell to my knees, while she picked up my sword and did the inevitable...


 * 04:00:13.21 AT: Joekeybladeaura (Ohio, 324th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed through the chest by Panther12
 * 04:00:25.95 AT: Jacob55111 (Michigan, 323rd Place)
 * Cause of death: Head sliced in half by Panther12

Additional note: All Ohio Tributes are dead.

As Jesus Chavez (Los Angeles; State Route 2, Mile 15)
Blood has been drawn. Yvette Kim lies on the ground, staining the earth. The Minnesota alliance has been severed, and I had already parted ways with it. I never plan to see Digit Starr and Lucky Dawn again.


 * 04:00:42.21 AT: Yvette Kim (Minnesota, 322nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced in half with Jesus Chavez's battleaxe

As SerpentKing999 (Burbank)
I looked through a window and saw Gale and Peeta make a final standoff. However, will they kill each other, or will they leave? Will they both die? That's what I came to see.

I headed for the rooftops to watch the fireworks. However, after one minute, nothing happens. What is their deal? That's when I decided to throw loose rocks down below, and it seemed to confuse them. They ran away in opposite directions, which scratched the plan of knocking them both out. Oh, well.

As Karina Rito (Monterey Park)
I came upon and surprised the former alliance of Guillermo Villanueva of Chihuahua, Anabel Ramos of Sonora, Iman Nagi of Nuevo Leon, and Nanco Yosul of Durango. This should be fun.

My spiked steel club met Anabel and Nanco with ease. Guillermo was next, and his blood met my face. However, Iman proved to be the challenge. She pulled out her steel pipe and we dueled. Eventually, though, her pipe was knocked out of her hand, and I smashed her head. They were all dead. Four cannons. Four deaths.

I heard footsteps. I turned around, but it was too late. He landed a fatal blow...


 * 04:01:19.25 AT: Anabel Ramos (Sonora, 321st Place)
 * Cause of death: Killed by Karina Rito
 * 04:01:21.57 AT: Nanco Yosul (Durango, 320th Place)
 * Cause of death: Killed by Karina Rito
 * 04:01:26.61 AT: Guillermo Villanueva (Chihuahua, 319th Place)
 * Cause of death: Killed by Karina Rito
 * 04:01:40.47 AT: Iman Nagi (Nuevo Leon, 318th Place)
 * Cause of death: Smashed in the head by Karina Rito
 * 04:01:48.42 AT: Karina Rito (Guanajuato, 317th Place)
 * Cause of death: Smashed in the jaw by Luke Heart's warhammer

As Rue Hela (Angeles National Forest; north of Altadena)
Yesare has changed everything. Without alliances, Katniss and I parted ways. We swore to come back to Altadena on Day Three. As of now, I faced a familiar scene, where I was left all alone in the forests of an Arena, forced to fend for myself.

However, I heard another announcement, so I jumped on top of a tree and listened clearly. It was Yesare again, but this time, she's announcing that the no-alliances rule could be negated early if less than 300 Tributes remain in the Tournament before Day Two starts.

I didn't want a Tribute massacre, but if it will bring me back to Katniss, there must be something that I can do...

As Nomin Dregg (Arcadia)
The no-alliance rule might have been too much. Though I have not allied with anyone, I was planning to ally with a strong Tribute with a common enemy. However, I was distracted by an electronics shop. This may not be true, but there might be a chance of getting some outside information.

Apparently, it was 4:12 when I tuned in, as I heard from a news report. It said that North America was under attack and other countries were backing up their allies. The entire U.S. state of Ohio was overrun and conquered, and bits and pieces of other states and provinces were being picked up as we speak. My home province was in no danger, thankfully, but all of Canada was on complete lockdown, so it's impossible to travel from region to region. However, being there was better than being here. In here, I'm guaranteed death, where there, my chances were slim.

I whipped around in response to a sound behind me, and found out I still had my knife in hand. I accidentally killed Robby Rosen, one of the NL Tributes. Once I turned back to the screen, the news notified the viewers that the invasion of Newfoundland and Labrador began at Goose Bay just seconds before.

That's when it hit me: Whoever became the Victor of the Games will see almost no free part of North America left.


 * 04:16:25.12 AT: Robby Rosen (Newfoundland and Labrador, 316th Place)
 * Cause of death: Accidentally sliced through the chest by Nomin Dregg

As Chibiterusu Chan (San Gabriel)
I... am... bored. Believe it or not, I actually want all 314 Tributes to be killed. 314: pi to the hundredths power multiplied by 100. Oh, great. Now, I'm comparing living Tributes with math equations!

I can't seem to stop calculating and translating statistics. That's all I seem to do. As I try to avoid numbers like 93, 4:25, 95, and who knows what else, I've realized what I had become. This Tournament is turning me into a lunatic.

I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see... Amy Pond? All the way out here? I see she is holding a wire... A wire? She can't expect to kill me with that... unless the cylindrical ends of the wire with buttons on top of them had something to do with it...

I kicked her in the stomach, and she fell over, letting go of the wire. I grabbed the wire by the ends, but was hesitant to finish her off. Even if I do finish her off, will I be able to end this calamity altogether?

I have made my decision. I wrapped the wire around my neck. I held down the buttons, and felt an electric surge paralyze me. I can't stand this madness any longer.


 * 04:27:12.15 AT: Chibiterusu Chan (Nova Scotia, 315th Place)
 * Cause of death: Suicide by electricification

As Fadran Ceare (audience member)
I was settled here, in a convention center in St. George, Utah, waiting out the war with everyone else who were rammed in here for protection. I was given a space of 64 square feet along some chairs, and I set up camp there. I kept listening to the announcements over the speakers, informing us about of the latest news on the battlefronts and the mass slaughtering known as the Tournament.

While I was sitting on a chair, staring at the ceiling to pass the time, the speakers informed me that I had to report to the central office. I decided to get up and see what they needed me for.

In response, when I was led into the office, the door behind me was locked, and an anonymous gentleman handed me a telephone. I had no choice but to answer it.

"Hello?" I responded.

They answered, "Is this Fadran Ceare, former military unit of the Foreign Surveilance Division, Code Number 10518?"

"Yes," I confirmed.

"This is Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaking on behalf of the Salvation Crusaders, our latest group of surveilance agents who have been missing in action since last night."

"Why would this concern me?"

"Ever since our squad disappeared from detection, we have been scouting the globe for suitable replacements. You were our first choice."

"Sorry, but I was retired from service three years ago," I answered. "I don't believe that I can be of service to anyone."

"As of now, you have no choice in this decision. A helicopter has landed near your current location, and will take you toward your destination. You shall receive your mission there. We'll see you then." The phone call ended, and some security guards escorted me outside, where a U.N. helicopter waited for me. I had no choice but to get on, and sort out this mess.

As Yoselin Espinoza (Monrovia)
I had no alliance, but if I did, I wouldn't care at this moment. I would never ally with the other Espinozas, or anyone else, because they're all threats. Allying with a threat is a fatal mistake. I would never make a fatal mistake. However, Vanessa Dokko caught up to me, and she must have thought the same thing as I did.

When she finally decided to assault me, the only weapon she had were metal gauntlets. However, I had a blowtorch, so I turned it on and aimed the nozzle at her. She hesitated, but since she was only a few feet away, and the flames extended as far as four inches, it only scared her into thinking up a new plan. After a while, though, she decided to charge again.

Apparently, the metal gloves might have been insulated against heat, because after I struck her down and aimed the blowtorch at her gloves, she didn't have the expression of pain that would normally come from burns. However, that didn't stop me from pushing her gloves onto her face. Now, she had finally felt the burn.

That burn to her face gave me time to aim the blowtorch in one eye, and then the other. She resisted much less than before during that procedure. Also, I bet that she never felt torture like this before. Her eyes were replaced with charred bits of silence. The blowtorch now hovered over her forehead, eventually burning through her skull. I let it ease its way through her brain until the cannon sounded. She was officially dead.

After that, I took her gauntlets as my latest weapon, since they can prove quite useful along the way...


 * 04:46:12.25 AT: Vanessa Dokko (Tabasco, 314th Place)
 * Cause of death: Fifth-degree burns and severe brain damage, caused by Yoselin Espinoza

As Yesare Dernes (4:57 PM)
It looks like the entire continent is becoming a stage for the Apocalypse. In fact, I can understand why this place would soon be Panem. However, the war is far from over. Backup forces have landed on the continent's shores. Also, the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Canada, and the President of Mexico, have all tried to persuade me to end the war, and since audio chats ended in failure, they are due to fly in tomorrow.

As for the Head Gamemaker's Election, 27 million votes have been counted so far, and from what I have collected, it's going to be a very close race. However, as of now, I'm planning to see what the world makes of this... what they call... invasion.

Tournament: Day One, 5:00 PM-6:00 PM
"...Yet another state is being overrun by the mysterious armies..."

"...possibly the worst attack on U.S. soil..."

"...It's unknown where the threat originated..."

--various television newscasts

As Yesare Dernes (continued)
It's amazing how people can be misunderstood into thinking that we are parasites meant to destroy North America. This is clearly not true. I'll explain later, but first, I've decided to listen closely on how the reporters from a broadcast called the Cable News Network translate this threat.

"Currently, millions of enemy army units have been detected by radar, some of them found to be unmanned. These armies have targeted major population centers since their continent-wide assault just hours ago. However, they were first found ravaging the streets of the Greater Los Angeles Area last night, forcing a region-wide evacuation and immediate military action.

"The current wave of invaders appeared across North America just after 3:00 PM Eastern Time, just as the infamous tournament, announced by an unknown named Yesare Dernes, began to broadcast around the world. So far, millions have been killed or missing, and millions more were evacuated away from the war zones. Transportation throughout the continent has been restricted to the U.S. military and other groups which prove to be valuable to the American defense.

"Meanwhile, other countries, specifically Europe and China, sent in backup groups to assist North American armies, as the native armies alone are struggling to hold out as it is. However, civilian transportation to and from the continent has been shut down, causing panic among those searching for sanctuary from afar.

"As for all three countries that are actively involved in the war, an indisputed state of emergency has been announced, and there is no doubt that martial law will follow. The presidents of the United States and Mexico, as well as the Prime Minister of Canada, are planning to meet with the commander-in-chief of the invading armies tomorrow, at about 2:00 PM Eastern Time.

"We plan to keep you updated with new information about the war as it is available, but we do know that Ohio is the first state to be completely overrun by the invasion, while others remain on the verge of collapse. Also, the United Nations has leaked today that they are planning a scouting expedition to see what is happening in Los Angeles, as the 'Tournament' is presumed to be hosted there.

"We like to thank you for your patience as we are still in the gray as to what fate will hold for America."

I shut off the television for a while. A scouting expedition in Los Angeles? Their persistence must not, and will not, interfere with my Tournament, and I plan to make sure of that...

As Stronton Melich (Sierra Madre)
What an embarrassment. I haven't killed anyone so far, and now I must be a laughingstock among the audience. As for the 'no alliances' rule, it's the hardest blow I've witnessed, since I was considering allying with Nomin Dregg later on. I've killed a shockstalker, however, and decided that I might be able to do something with it...

First, I found a silver tarp and a high-powered air conditioner, and tied the tarp to four ropes. I tied the other ends of those ropes to each end of the air conditioner, which I had the face which expelled the air pointing upward. Then, I connected the power cord to the shockstalker, and the air conditioner blew the tarp forty feet into the air, making it seem like a silver parachute. Those who don't deserve to win will be easily distracted by this innovation...

As Werebeast1 (Sierra Madre)
A silver parachute in the middle of nowhere? I'm going to have a laugh over this... After pulling out a few daggers to use for later, I set out into the unknown.

Once I arrive in a clearing, however, a net embedded in the ground shoots me straight up, and I plunge into a wooden crate, trapped by an amateurish trick. However, a giant metal claw throws me into a bigger box with another Tribute, who I don't know at all.

Luckily, I pulled out one of my daggers to defend myself, but I saw that he pulled out a warhammer, so I knew that it would be tough getting to him. Just then, someone's voice, and not Yesare's this time, was heard.

"Welcome to my little gathering, where I plan to do a Tournament of eight people. The winner gets to escape with their lives. I'd like to wish you luck, but you're on your own. First battle is Werebeast1 vs Will Baker. Let's begin the Bracket Battles!"

Wait, that was Stronton's voice! The only problem I have left was that my stalling ensured my death...


 * 05:16:14.95 AT: Werebeast1 (Iowa, 313th Place)
 * Cause of death: Head smashed by Will Baker

As Tiki tooki (viewer, Gamemaker)
This is just amazing. It seems that Stronton Melich is causing at least seven deaths due to his Bracket Battles. He had just captured eight Tributes and are putting them in a direct fight to the death. However, could he kill off the winner, or will he let the Tribute go with a warning?

So far, we've seen Will Baker advance to the semifinals, and now three more spaces need to be filled. For you, the audience, I'll announce the other six after I help you through some of the other Tributes locations, that is, if you don't mind me breaking the fourth wall...

While Gale and Peeta ran along opposite ends of Interstate 5 (Gale was along mile 153 while Peeta was along mile 138), SerpentKing999 found himself at the interchange between U.S. Route 101 and State Routes 134 and 170. RueRose was heading along Interstate 210, just past Burbank. Cinna Autumn, Elder Thorne, Rosa Paniagua, and Manuel Martinez are each making their way into downtown Los Angeles, while Daniel Martinez and Raul Hernandez follow them in, although it's currently Dark Territory.

FableWarrior had arrived at Highway 27 in Canoga Park. Katniss, Rue, and JER have reached Highway 2, in Angeles National Forest, at different times, and are following the road east. Sedra Alsypse is currently resting in Montebello before continuing. IRH has decided to stay in Pasadena to honor Elivaalova's memory. Lelt Dregg had set up a base near the 5/710 interchange. Anon and Dark Matter had set up numerous interception stations across Downtown Los Angeles, making the Arena even more deadly than the Gamemakers had expected.

Now it's time to get back to the special kill-off tournament. The next three matches would consist of these six Tributes: Alia Nizan would battle Kelia Wann, Aldago Mendez would battle Jair Carpio, and Jeni Frost would battle Belle Taylor. Now it seems like Kelia Wann impaled Alia Nizam with a pike. I guess Kelia Wann advances.


 * 05:17:21.25 AT: Alia Nizam (Missouri, 312th Place)
 * Cause of death: Impaled by Kelia Wann's pike

As Skybender101 (viewer, Gamemaker)
Now, I am focusing on two things: Stronton's trap, which he calls the Bracket Battles, and the seven Tributes heading on a crash course to Dark Territory (the name for Dark Matter-occupied Downtown Los Angeles). At least fourteen Tributes could be killed, and that could mean that alliances will be re-enabled. I look forward to this.

Aldago Mendez and Jair Carpio have been thrown into a large metal crate, and since they are not allowed to ally with each other, one must die. Aldago pulls out a two-ended blade while Jair uses a regular sword. Jair had decided to lunge at Aldago's wrist and snatch her blade while it was loose. He then concluded the battle by disconnecting the twin blades and pushing them straight into her lungs. Aldago died twenty seconds later, and Jair advanced.

Jeni Frost and Belle Taylor were next. They didn't have any weapons with them, and I don't know why, but they were each given two daggers for close combat, from an unknown sponsor. Jeni Frost instantly threw her dagger straight at Belle Taylor's shoulder, and used the extra time to kick her in the chest, which caused extra damage since, for some reason, she had crampons attached to her boots. After that, Belle Taylor was down for the count, and Jeni Frost crushed her head with those same boots (though it took repeated tries to get it just right.)

We only have four Tributes left. Will Baker would battle Kelia Wann, and Jair Carpio would battle Jeni Frost. Also, the six Tributes heading for Dark Territory are getting closer to Dark Matter's location.


 * 05:18:52.45 AT: Aldago Mendez (New Mexico, 311th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed in the lungs by Jair Carpio
 * 05:19:38.72 AT: Belle Taylor (Kansas, 310th Place)
 * Cause of death: Head smashed by Jeni Frost

As Moon Beam (viewer, Gamemaker)
Dark Matter stood atop a Los Angeles skyscraper, eyeing her feast: six Tributes unknowingly facing their last minutes of life. A silver parachute came down, and Dark Matter picked it up. She had received a six foot-long, one foot-wide, lightweight, obsidian-edged sword, and she handled it perfectly. She was ready to take on all comers.

As for the makeshift Bracket Battles, the semifinals had started. Will Baker and Kelia Wann started off, and both of them had impressive weapons (Will Baker had a warhammer while Kelia Wann had a pike). Will Baker struck in some good shots, but Kelia Wann held him off and even managed to stab him a few times. Soon, it was a matter of time before Kelia Wann won.

Jair Carpio and Jeni Frost were about to battle next. Jeni had the match from the start, since her crampons kept kicking all over Jair. Jair had to pull out his sword in defense, and used the two-ended blade to flail about as if it was a baton. Jair got lucky by landing a cut in Jeni's shoulder, and used that as an advantage. He lunged with his sword, but forgot that Jeni had two daggers. She pulled them out in self-defense, and grabbed onto Jair's sword arm, prying the sword out of his hand. He came back with the twin blades, but missed, as Jeni finally took the sword away from Jair and stopped the twin blades from coming down. Jeni threw the daggers at Jair as a distraction, and Jair caught all of them. Jeni came in and sliced one of Jair arms off, thus ensuring Jair's fate. Jair fell on his knees as Jeni pushed her sword through his neck, and waited for the cannon.

That's right. It's Kelia Wann vs Jeni Frost in the finals.


 * 05:20:53.14 AT: Will Baker (Maryland, 309th Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Kelia Wann
 * 05:22:36.41 AT: Jair Carpio (Mississippi, 308th Place)
 * Cause of death: Killed by Jeni Frost

As Jabberjay78 (viewer, Gamemaker)
Stronton Melich has allowed Kelia Wann and Jeni Frost to rest until 5:30 PM. However, at that time, it looks like another conflict will grab our interest. Dark Matter was ready to pounce, and she did. I meant that literally; she actually jumped off the building in which she was perched in and slid down a newly-added rope. She cluched her blade in her hands, casting a large shadow over the pavement. She charged at the six which just arrived.

Instantly, a translucent red barrier separated Dark Matter and the other six from the rest of the city. All seven of them noticed Dark Matter charging at them, and decided to attack her together, knowing that she is a deadly threat. The group pulled out various weapons to use against her, from swords to spears to daggers to many more deadly armaments. They were all ready for the battle, but from out of nowhere, a dart flew out and landed in Rosa Paniagua's neck, thus I assume that it killed her with some sort of toxin, since a cannon went off almost instantly.

The battle had started after that realization, and it looked like Dark Matter was overpowered for a moment, but neither side turned back. Dark Matter started up on Manuel Martinez and Elder Thorne, holding the obsidian blade against a mace and a katana, respectively. It seemed indecisive for a moment, but Dark Matter reached for the chain holding Manuel's mace together, and swung her blade through his neck. Daniel Martinez and Raul Hernandez backed up the defense with Daniel's spears and Raul's scythe. However, Dark Matter somehow merged the end of the sword with a spiked ball, which even I didn't even get, and Daniel was bludgeoned until the point of death, which was basically in two strikes.

Now Cinna Autumn came in with the daggers. However, his highly aggressive and unreasonable tactics killed him off a few seconds in, and only two were left. Elder Thorne stepped in, took Cinna's daggers, and threw the daggers like knives, which were blocked by Dark Matter's giant blade. Unknowing as he was, he accidentally threw his sword as another projectile, which allowed Dark to slice him down the middle. Raul Hernandez was left, and he pulled out his secret armament, a two-pronged six foot-long zapper, with sharply pointed ends.

In a turn of events that even I can't comprehend, a vat of liquid nitrogen dropped on him from out of nowhere. Dark Matter lifted it off of him with her blade, and she found that he was frozen and brittle. Realizing that she had won it all, she lifted her blade and threw it down for one final swipe. Raul's frozen corpse shattered across the street. The cannon shot was heard all over Los Angeles.


 * 05:23:08.21 AT: Rosa Paniagua (Illinois, 307th Place)
 * Cause of death: Killed by fast-acting toxin
 * 05:23:28.14 AT: Manuel Martinez (Oklahoma, 306th Place)
 * Cause of death: Decapitated by Dark Matter's blade
 * 05:23:35.16 AT: Daniel Martinez (Mexico, 305th Place)
 * Cause of death: Bludgeoned by Dark Matter
 * 05:23:47.45 AT: Cinna Autumn (Alaska, 304th Place)
 * Cause of death: Split through the chest by Dark Matter's blade
 * 05:23:59.52 AT: Elder Thorne (Florida, 303rd Place)
 * Cause of death: Sliced down the middle by Dark Matter's blade
 * 05:24:14.62 AT: Raul Hernandez (Jalisco, 302nd Place)
 * Cause of death: Frozen in liquid nitrogen, then shattered by Dark Matter's blade

As Stronton Melich (Sierra Madre; where did you think he was?)
Six cannon shots? Seriously? What kind of bloodfest happened in the Arena? I might as well kick of the Finals now, before anyone gets any ideas... By the way, it is 5:25 PM...

Kelia Wann and Jenni Frost were dropped into a giant metal crate, and then they pulled out their weapons. The only thing was, I made sure that they both were using the Finals weapons I had approved: pickaxes, each made from the same material and weighing the same amount. If I wanted anyone to win this, it will be by totaling the other person.

As Connie Dominguez (Rosemead)
How many cannons have sounded so far in this hour...? We had a lot of deaths in a small bit of time. I'm a bit worried about how things are going...

I had no alliance. I was a loner, considering an alliance... but not anymore. I had collected a meager supply of food and some supplies, and I held two small lances as my visible weapons. Wait... someone was coming...

All I can remember was that she was reaped from the Midwest... Who cares? She started out by throwing knifes at me, and I twirled my lances so quickly that they were deflected. Then, once it seemed that she ran out of knives, I lunged with both lances, and since she was still scurring her backpack for more weapons, I got in a clean kill.


 * 05:25:54.52 AT: Nina Bennett (Michigan, 301st Place)
 * Cause of death: Stabbed by Connie Dominguez's lances

As Jeni Frost (Sierra Madre)
Another cannon shot off in the middle of the finals and then Yesare's voice boomed throughout. "Will everyone stop fighting before I kill you all!!" Our match was disrupted.

"Only 300 Tributes remain, so I've decided to allow allies again. Also, Stronton Melich, Kelia Wann, and Jeni Frost are ordered to ally together for at least three days. If any of you turn on each other before then, you will all die. I'd advise you get acquainted with each other. Have a nice day." The message ended.

At that moment, Kelia and I were both lifted out of the steel box, and we met Stronton Melich for the first time. "This is your lucky day," he answered.

As Anon... (Still in Los Angeles)
I settled down in a building, knowing that there's not much to do around here. Many cannon shots have been heard, so many people must have died. Dark Matter must be killed...

As for the message, the letters seem familiar... so I sort them out a bit when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to see a friendly face (and I need one for an alliance), appearing to have no weapon, and even tolerating me. In fact, apart from the pale skin and steel-gray hair, she almost looked like my British-Quebecois self. "I've finally found my terra-twin," she murmured to herself.

"And... who are you supposed to be?" I asked.

"I am TheDarkness7, your cyber-twin." She kept her smile while she talked. "We were meant to come together like this."

"Is this a trick?" I wondered.

"Sorry, but we're working together," she stated. At that moment, I charged at her, and then she caught my forehead with her hand. I grew dizzy, and then started experiencing flashbacks... and they're not my own...

I saw a scene in what seems to be the past, where it seemed like I met TheDarkness7... but in some sort of third person view. It was nighttime, and we were in a room with a glass wall showing the scenery. I handed TheDarkness7 an item and rushed her toward an open air duct... and then she found me, and...

I remember that day.

"You... we were allies before... it..." I started.

"I couldn't recuperate your own memories of that night," she explained, "but I managed to hack into the 360-degree views just before we left for the Arena. You were lucky to remember that much."

"Okay, I don't have to know how I remembered," I started, "but I don't know what we were doing..."

"I'll tell you later tonight," she answered. She noticed the letters I pulled out. "What is that?"

I showed her the letters, organized in one simple word: RACMANY.

As... JOHANNA MASON?! (What's she doing in this story?!)
The guards... I must get past them.

They guarded this portal, and just a few days ago, some of the former Rebels (Katniss, Peeta, Finnick, and others) had been reported missing. As of now, I had a plan: Send some of the guards to investigate a security breach a while away, then gas the rest. Get past them and into the portal; it should be easy. It turned out, it didn't go very well.

After the breach, I tried to gas the remaining guards, but they decided to put on gas masks, so that messed everything up. I had to rip the gas masks off myself and then improvised, by spraying chili spray in their eyes. Once they were all helpless, I leapt through the portal before the second wave appeared.

After about... twelve seconds of travel, I ended up in a building, located in the ruins of a great city. There was no doubting that I was meant to be here. I decided to capture someone and interrogate her.

"This... is a tournament," she replied nervously. She stopped and cried. "I can't die now! I was so close!"

This was the competition? I might as well put her out of her misery, then... Then again, I'm not a registered Tribute, so I ripped out her tracking chip and placed it in a locket I kept secret until now. (I'll push it into my bloodstream later.)

As for her, I shut her up. No cannon sounded, because I took over her spot. Luckily, she almost looked like me, so now I don't have to go incognito.

I then realized that I am a younger Tribute.


 * 05:48:32.84 AT: Greden Altrais (Nebraska)
 * Cause of death: Killed off and replaced by Johanna Mason

Note: Since Johanna replaced Greden, Greden's death will not count. Also, Johanna does not come from Nebraska in any way, but chose Greden as her target because of her resemblance.

As Fantasyfilm99 (another Gamemaker)
Johanna Mason? I have to warn Yesare... soon. As of now, this change is exactly what people want. Also, about Anon... knowing about that night and the fact that Racmany was a Gamemaker? Harsh...

I should have recommended that Yesare include representatives from outside the continent, but it's too late for that. Besides, I wasn't here when she made that decision. Oh, well...

As for Yesare, she locked herself in the monitoring station, where she can see the Tributes and give orders to us. She's really unique. Her story is, while plans for the Tournament were underway, she was given an operation which converted her into an omniscient being. The silver lines running through her body were wireless pulses, which came out of her hands and changed any object's atomic structure, so they could bend to her will. In this case, it's a miracle she didn't kill us all already.

In fact, she's too busy maintaining the unmanned army currently invading North America. She seems to function as an internet server, sending signals over the airwaves which can penetrate any object she could want to access. She decided to keep those powers at a minimum for now, focusing only on monitoring the Arena and keeping the unmanned armies in check.

Another monitor check? (Yes, please.) Okay! To begin, Julie Kim had moved from Pasadena to Temple City, carrying her supplies with her. Audre Deslum has arrived in Los Angeles to see blood coating an entire street. Armor King has managed to cross Paramount, apparently planning to reach the coastline. Darius Singleton has decided to stop in South Gate and look for food. Uh-oh; here comes Yesare, all riled up.

"Who let Johanna in?" she demanded.

Racmany was the first to respond. "We don't know. Someone must have entered the portal from the other end."

"Fine," she answered. "Keep her in."

"What?" Sparrow Hazelthorn questioned Yesare. "You can't expect this kind of breach--"

Yesare interrupted, since she had the right of way. "She has already replaced another, so it's fair game. I'll deal with her later." Yesare returned to her chamber.

Now, for some reason, Sparrow started breathing heavily. I asked her, "What's wrong?"

"Yesare can be a strict force sometimes," she answered. "Don't get in her way."

"Really?" I reacted. "She can't be that tough."

"You'd think so..." she started, "...but she clamped my mouth shut."

As Javier Aldaco (Upland)
What to do, what to do...? Over 80 Tributes killed so far? That's a record, even if in only one Hunger Game. By the way, I lost The Game again, so...

I am pretty unsuccessful, with no alliances and no kills so far. My score of 72 should have done something to help me, but... I see something. It looked like a flamethrower, so I picked it up. It was in mint condition, with the gas tank full. This is exactly what needed to happen!

My first target: That Tribute over there! I charge at him, and he's backed into a corner. He is roasted, and I finally leave him to his final thoughts. The cannon comes off. It's that simple. The only problem is, what to do next?


 * 06:12:35.75 AT: Estobar Lonidas (Puerto Rico, 300th Place)
 * Cause of death: Severe burns caused by Javier Aldaco's flamethrower

As Fadran Ceare (6:20 PM)
TotalDramaRox97 and Primrose1444 are in San Dimas, as an alliance. They, and the rest of the dwindling amount of Tributes, are in danger. I was sent by helicopter to the nearest airport, where I rode on a jet to the remains of now heavily guarded Camp Pendleton. It seemed that it was bombed just hours ago, but is now back to 68% capacity, though mostly based underground.

In my briefing, they informed me that, since Empartia's forces' invasions seem to coincide with Tributes' deaths, that would mean that they have a unique strategy applied, though as unpredictable as it may seem. However, this means that those forces are too weak to take on the entire continent itself, and we could stop the army assembly process, if we could find the origin of the threat. Apparently, it's not in Empartia, and Empartia already has a staggeringly high defense to deal with as of late.

My mission was different. They wanted me to find a way into the Arena, since no aircraft can seem to penetrate its perimeter. The Channel Islands was discussed as a weak spot in the defense. I was ordered to sail from the camp to Santa Catalina Island, where I would set up a radio transmitter, and then head for the Arena mainland. There would be dangers along the way, like untamable shockstalkers and creepers, and of course, Yesare's full wrath.

I'll be sent off in a few minutes, so I decide to ask a few of my questions. They told me that most of the information that I demanded was classified, so I left with barely any information to go on. What will I do against Yesare's army?

As Javier Espinoza (Espinoza's father)
They were supposed to do great things with their life, but instead, they have their lives ripped away from them. I don't recognize my children anymore. Even Ariana and Yocelyn have dramatically changed from their helpless baby forms, into teenagers which have evolved too quickly.

Ariana and Yocelyn, along with Alexis and Eduardo, were taken in by the U.S. military, due to a blackmail attempt that would have messed our family up either way. Along the way to Corpus Christi, they were intercepted by the Mexican government, and sent the remaining family members and I a letter allowing them to experiment on them in exchange for the ranch to be built for the family. Though I was disgusted by the idea, no one except for the Mexican government had a say in this.

Afterward, Julian was sent into a coma by an unknown assailant, which tore our family apart even further. Not only that, but we were told that Ariana and Yocelyn were aged approximately twelve years in the experiments that they were tested for. Later, we even heard that they Alexis, Eduardo, Ariana, and Yocelyn were sent to different camps across Mexico, and had probably joined the military. Their mother was so crestfallen that even she fell ill due to a weakened immune system, which her fate is still undetermined.

All we physically had left was Julian, though he couldn't interact with the world. I usually came by the hospital each day, hoping that he would come out of the coma and back onto our arms. Weeks passed, and donations to our ill-fallen family came by the dozens, some from Julian's teachers, classmates, and even friends from places I never would have imagined he met them. However, that changed nothing. Our family was still broken.

After weeks of heart-wrenching drama, Julian finally woke up, thus reviving hope, though his brain had to recover from being barely active for so long. He couldn't stand up or even speak in words, so it seemed like he lost his former mental capacity. Days later, we all had to attend the Porterville Reapings, and lost our son in the process, just as he was about to tell us about something important, about the Reapings. We never heard from him since...

Now, he, Alexis, Eduardo, Ariana, and Yocelyn ended up in this game, where everyone suffers. Our family will never recover from this, and we still don't know anything about what had really happened. What experiments did the Mexican government use on our children? What did Julian want to tell us that's so important? Why did our family lose all of its children so easily? What do these Games want with us?

As Eduardo Espinoza (Los Angeles; 101-110 Interchange)
I remember when I was taken to Mexico, in a secret base up in the mountain range on the west side of Mexico. There, we four were split up and sent into separate sections of the building, and I ended up in a relentless boot camp. I trained 18 hours a day, and never heard from anyone except my instructor. I was told that the entire continent, and maybe the world, was under threat, due to the appearance of mysterious signals across the planet, so they had selected my siblings and I to be part of the alliance against the threat.

After over a month of training, I was finally told my mission. Apparently, I was chosen to stop a new threat arising, and they found a way to get me into the heart of the calamity. I was Reaped... because of them.

As for Alexis, Ariana, and Yocelyn, they were sent into rival bases (as far as I'm concerned), and I was told that they turned against me and vowed to solve the problem themselves. My brothers could treat me like garbage here. I don't know them anymore. None of them look like themselves, especially not Ariana or Yocelyn. I was alone for what seemed like the first time ever. They had to be done with.

As Harry Fiderson (La Puente)
No real allies here. There's only yourself. That's no different to how the world treats everyone. I'm used to it. My brothers are not here with me. Wait, is that Terry over there? I decide to hide, in case he's not so friendly...

"Harry, I know you're there..."

Oh, great. I had to come out. "Where have you been, Terry?"

"In this mess, everywhere is nowhere," he cleverly remarked. "In that case, we're lost."

"This is no time for comedy and breaking the fourth wall," I mentioned. "Besides, I don't want the audience to think I'm a second-rate nobody."

"First, you just broke the fourth wall, if there ever was one for this kind of mess," he explained. "Secondly, if you make it into the Top 96, you could get some respect. Respect means sponsors, you know."

"I see. That means we have to ally, or risk killing each other."

"Yes, it's true." We both agreed to an alliance.

As Yesare Dernes (6:47 PM)
Someone reported to me that the Eastern Seaboard (places like New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts) have started sleeping. They're going to drag down ratings if I don't do something quickly. Maybe... maybe it's time to end the day. After all, we have had many events occur today. The best way to end the day is to have everyone go to sleep early. However, doing so is tough at this time, so I need to find a better way to settle this... and I may have figured this one out already...

* * * * (five minutes later) * * * *

Finally! I came back through the multiversal access portal holding my prize in hand. This item contains a balloon-like creature with the talent to sing people to sleep. Hopefully it should only affect the Tributes this time...

As Sparrow Hazelthorn (Candidate for Head Gamemaker)
Yesare informed us all to wear earplugs to protect us from her next plan. The plan started, and Tributes all over the Arena fell asleep. What had happened? I had to unplug my ears to hear a mellow tone... repeating the same word in a lullaby...

It's ironic that I would be stealing a nap from the Tributes...

As Racmany (Candidate for Head Gamemaker)
Sparrow fell asleep on the job? This cannot be what we do for $18 an hour. (Yes, Sparrow and I get paid $18 an hour, since we are candidates for Head Gamemaker. If we work 16 hours a week [and we have to, since we practically live here since our arrival] for an entire year, we would make over $100,000 a year.) I try to shake her awake, but it takes a while before she comes to. At that moment, a pink balloon with eyes threatened to draw on her face with a marker.

"That little jerk!" it blurted out. It went along with slapping me. "And you..."

I was disturbed by this picture. "Wait. First, how can you talk in pure English, instead of using syllables from your own name?"

"You don't know Yesare," it responded.

I retaliated. "I'm in the running for Head Gamemaker, and you say I don't--"

I ended up getting slapped by both Sparrow and the weird fluffy thing. (We'll be right back after this message from CNN.)

Tournament: Day One, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM
We now return to our regularly scheduled program already in progress.

-- numerous local television stations

Cable News Network (7 PM Broadcast)
It is 10:00 PM Eastern Time, 9:00 PM Central, 7:00 Pacific as of this moment, and Yesare Dernes announces that the first day of her Tournament is over, thus allowing companies like FOX, ABC, NBC, and many other channels wlth local stations return to their war-based broadcasting. Millions of people who don't know about the war yet finally become informed.

Good evening, viewers, and thanks for tuning in to our nightly broadcast. This is--

(channel gets interrupted, returns to picture showing someone else)

Welcome to our late-night broadcasting, supported by the Empartian Broadcasting Network, or EBN for short. I am Kenzen11, Director of Empartian Broadcasting for our Tournament. Though you are worried about us cutting into the current broadcast, rest assured that we will return control to CNN in just a few minutes, enough time to mention that EBN broadcasting will be available to view in North America tomorrow, at 6 AM Eastern, 3 AM Pacific, and the rest of the world the day after that, in the same time slot.

After EBN cut off regular broadcasting seven and a half hours ago, some people haven't figured out that a war had just broken out. We now turn to Akuhano for more details.

(screen shows Akuhano atop a building in Regina, Saskatchewan)

So far, over 80 Tributes have been killed in the Tournament, but what proved to be more shocking was that each area invaded during the war corresponded to each death. Saskatchewan lost two Tributes, and half of the land is either invaded or occupied by Empartian armies. We have to ensure you that the attacks are all part of the North American unification process, so do not be alarmed. As for the overseas forces, do not provide help, or we will count you as a threat and you will receive immediate retaliation.

Our invasions are only counted as a test to determine the stability of North America, but there is a high risk of governmental collapse while this assault is executed. Addressing that point, we advise North America to surrender their land to us, and we will form a more stable society which could right all wrongs that could be implemented in the future. Now, we return you to Kenzen11 in the EBN studios.

(screen shows Kenzen11 in the EBN studios)

Though you are worried about the current safety about the lives held in the Tournament, there can be nothing that could change the outcome. Neither will the outcome of our war change. The reason for war will be announced tomorrow, at 9 AM Eastern, 6 AM Pacific, on EBN-NA, a channel now available for free from your cable or satellite provider. Please see your cable or satellite provider for details. We now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

(channel control returns to CNN)

Well... I had just received notice that CNN has been taken over by an invading frequency, but we had made sure that the frequency would not interfere with our broadcast again... Now back to our original newscast. First of all, along with a State of Emergency called, the U.S. government had ordered all schools within fifty miles of the recent invasions closed until recuperation is in effect. Martial law is currently not in effect anywhere in the continent, but it is being considered as a last resort.

Also, all AM frequency radio transmitters have been shut down to create signal space for sending frequencies to U.S. and European armies. Most stations planned to transmit under this ordinance will be hooked together to function as one transcontinental frequency for the war effort, while other stations will focus on broadcasting locally.

As for help from overseas, the European Union had willingly joined in, despite threats to their security. Nuclear weaponry is proclaimed as "off-limits" unless nuclear missiles target any area of high civilian count; if this happens, however, a makeshift "strategic defense initiative" would be in effect.

(reporter goes on, but we really need to move on to the next section while breaking the fourth wall)

As Racmany (7:02 PM)
At this moment, Sparrow, that... thing, and I were bludgeoning each other to the point of bloody and broken noses, eventually losing all the fight out of each other and lying down. "Ready to call it a draw?" I called out in a whimper of my former self.

"What's done is done," Sparrow answered, probably half-conscious.

"Okay... I think we all lost it there," the balloon admitted. Just then, Yesare came in and saw how much of a wreck we looked like.

"...Right before the voting results...?" Yesare exclaimed softly, as in peril, which would prpbably be true. "What were you thinking?"

"She fell asleep," the pink balloon answered. Before it could say any more, it was sent back into its capsule.

"Okay, we're sending both of you into the Remake Center. Hopefully we can fix you in about thirty minutes." She escorted us straight out of the building.

As Fadran Ceare (An island somewhere)
I woke up to find that my boat has crash-landed on a sandy island shore. I don't know what had happened before, but somehow I fell asleep and was jolted awake upon arrival. I dno't know if I had landed on the mainland or on an island, but I guess I'll find out soon enough...

As I get off, I check my supplies. Suprisingly, I didn't lose any of them, so I re-pack them and head off. I could get some exploring done before 8 PM.

As an omniscient narrator (San Diego, 7:49 PM)
With the invaders marching through every street in the area, and most native armies re-assigned to tackle each group, few are keeping watch against the newly-renovated border line, thus giving immigrants a small window of success. However, even they can't cross due to the high death rate that almost every invaded area boasts, especially in Mexico.

Besides that detail, the United States' best attempts end up in stalemates. Even with the help of outside armies, it's proving very hard to beat out. The European Union has been warned not to enter North America's business, and they, along with China, India, Russia, and Japan, have already sent in armies to battle with. It's only a matter of time before they are targeted, as well.

The votes for Head Gamemaker have been collected, and the winner will be announced within one hour. The creature mentioned fifty minutes ago is still in its capsule, and won't be used until another exciting bloodbath is concluded. The meeting with the Presidents of North America is planned for tomorrow, although something crooked could be in effect...

As Fadran Ceare (Arrived in Avalon, 8:23 PM)
Finding civilization took shorter than I thought. Apparently, I had found a town overlooking the bay, whatever bay this was. Realizing how desolate this place seemed, I figured out that I had arrived at Avalon, on Santa Catalina Island.

Well inward, I fould no living soul at all, no electricity, nothing. Every door of each building was left open, and some areas were even blasted to bits, probably by bombing. Most mini-cars were not on the streets, but rather gathered around the piers, the only known way off the island. I might as well set up camp, and where else to set up a good camp than in an abandoned house?

* * * * * (8:30 PM) * * * * *

I set up radio contact with Camp Pendleton. I informed them that I had arrived in Avalon, hoping to sail to the mainland tomorrow, but they argued against the idea. Thet wanted me to find out why the islanders left, and hopefully, find a clue toward the creation of the Games. As usual, I could not understand why they wanted to waste my time, but they severed the connection and left me with no other option. I was left to figure out what to do next...

EBN broadcast (8:45 PM)
Welcome to our special broadcast, where we determine the Head Gamemaker of our Tournament. Millions of votes were gathered and we are ready to announce the winner.

(Screen transfers to Yesare Dernes, standing behind a podium, and Sparrow Hazelthorn and Racmany, sitting in chairs behind her)

I would have to say that it was a pleasure to feature this election exclusively on EBN and sending the results across the 21st Century Civilization tomorrow, at a special time to be announced. After over three-hundred million votes from across the planet, we have decided the new Head Gamemaker. One candidate has a total of 158,425,693 votes. while the other would win with 158,425,722 votes. Remember: The difference was 29 votes, thus the most important election of anything in modern history.

The winner... is hard to describe without spoiling the anticipation. I'll just skip to the winner. The winner, by 29 votes, is Racmany. Racmany, come forward.

(Racmany steps off his chair, shakes hands with Sparrow Hazelthorn, and comes up to the podium)

Racmany, you only won by a very close vote. However, I see that you have the leadership that I have to trust you with. So with that, you are now Head Gamemaker.

(Yesare changes the atomic structure in Racmany's badge, so instead of displaying three stars, it displays four. Everyone applauds.)

As for Sparrow, you forged a rivalry stronger than... George Bush and Al Gore, was it? Getting back to the point, it wouldn't be fair to abandon such a noble Gamemaker without a special reward. Could you please come up?

(Sparrow comes up to the podium. Yesare alters the structure in Sparrow's badge, thus producing a ribbon shape showing behind the three-star formation.)

Sparrow Hazelthorn, you are now an Honorary Advanced Gamemaker.

(Everyone applauds.)

As Latteral Nezzle (Empartian citizen, 9:13 PM)
These entire Games is pathetic. Even I could do better than them. Some are competent (Stronton, Sedra, Dark Matter [we all know how much she is rigging the Games], the New York Tributes, and of course, the Espinozas and the Katniss-Mellark-Hawthorne triangle), but the rest can't stand a chance. Also, including three hundred and eighty Tributes from all over North America?! I think Yesare took this a few notches too far. (And yes, we use "notches" as a measurement of scale and magnitude.)

In fact, I've secretly formed a pact with some non-Empartian individuals who want to take a stand alongside me. Recently, I've been telling them about a new technological device that could shut the entire continent down.

(next sections of my narrative will be in "screenplay" format)

??? (can't risk revealing the person's name): What is the function of this weapon?

Latteral: It's supposed to neutralize and prevent distributions of neural energies within a 200-foot radius... like an EMP, but used against the human race.

???: When will this device be mass-produced?

Latteral: It would be distributed to all batallions within days, but it's still in the alpha stages of testing. If all goes well, the product could be in its final stages in about five weeks. Also, I should warn you, if this weapon is ever used, a nearby human would end up entirely brain dead for the next few hours, if it survives at all. You must shut down production without endangering anyone. We cannot take any chances.

???: Is it anywhere near Empartia?

Latteral: Actually, all production factories are located too far to have any connection with Empartia. The identifiable location of this factory is somewhere along the U.S.-Canadian border, in a forest somewhere west of the Glacier International Peace Park. We need a full-scale search, because chances are, the target will be well-hidden.

???: Okay, then. Thanks for your cooperation. We could use someone like you to record the events here.

Latteral: Thanks. To tell you the truth, I never liked Yesare anyway.

As JERealize (11:57 PM, Along State Route 2)
You would not understand being cheated so easily by a colleague. When I find Yesare's slave responsible for this, I'll catch her in a capsule and use her song against Empartia, just to get even. Lost somewhere, however, was my current target, Katniss and Rue. The reality used to be, they win so often, which means I should stop them before they take the Games away from me.

Now, for those of you who are watching me in Empartia, combine word 1 of sentence 1, word 1 of sentence 3, and words 1 and 20 of sentence 4 (and subtract the "s" from sentence 4) into a sentence, and read it to yourself. You lost The Game. Believe it.