The walk to the house was quite uneventful, and they reached the giant lavender doors in no time at all. Crystal banged her hoof firmly against the wood, and the creaked open, revealing a pure white mare, who gave a large smile!

"Oh you're finally here! I thought I would have to wait forever for you to come. Honestly! Haven't you district ponies ever heard of punctuality!?" Cherry hated her already. "Now come on! We must get you ready for your interviews tomorrow!" Crystal pushed us in and waved to us as she began to walk away.

"I'll get you guys in a few hours! See ya then!" Cherry silently prayed that Crystal would suddenly turn around and stay with them, but it turned out she was stuck with this annoying mare. She sighed and followed Blaze down the hall.

"Now, lets get started right away!" She knocked on a door, which opened right away. Two stallions rushed out and grabbed Blaze's forearms, and dragged him back into the room, only letting him give a surprised yelp. "Okay, follow me now darling." Cherry followed uncertainly. She was led into a room, where the mare shoved her up on a stand."Now stand still! I must do the meausring." Cherry stood, shuffling her hooves awkwardly as the mares horn lit up a bright purple. Various supplied floated about, measuring her. "Stand still!" She shouted, rooting Cherry to the spot. Now, various fabrics began to dance around the room. They would often place themselves onto her, and float back off. Soon, all the stuff fell to the floor and the mare got out the sheet of paper she had been scribbling on. She then brought it in front of Cherry so she could see.

It was a dress design, as Cherry could faintly make out. It was definetly fancy, reflecting district 8's specialty, clothing. There was the simple front part, with long sleeves, then in between that and the trail were some curly scribbles. The trail itself had three layers. but that was all Cherry managed to make out before the mare yanked it out of her face again.

Cherry sighed and stood still, as the mare began patching pieces of fabric together, and comparing them to her shape. She looked at the ground, realizing that she might just find out if dying of boredom was possible.

"Aye!?" Cherry's head jerked up. "Wake up! Your dress is finished!" Cherry glanced around herself, realizing that a beautiful dress was currently on her body. She looked up at a mirror and stared at the reflection, stunned.

"Wow..." She muttered. The mare just kept looking at her, then nodded, lighting up her horn again. The dress unstrapped itself and floated over to a rack, where is hung itself up. Cherry stood, looking at the mare, who had her eyes narrowed.

"You must go! Your mentor is waiting for you in the other room!" Cherry nodded and quickly left, meeting Crystal at the door. They had a brief conversation while waiting for Blaze, who soon exited his own room to join them.

"So... How'd it go?" Crystal said in a mocking tone. Cherry gave her a look that said, 'you know exactly how it went.' Crystal chuckled and trotted out, leaving the tributes to follow behind her again. Cherry glanced behind her, to look at the giant doors slamming shut, but she still caught sight of the creepy grin on the mares face as she waved goodbye. Cherry shuddered and turned forward again, trotting next to Blaze.

After an awkward moment of silence, Blaze opened his mouth to talk. "Well, that's an experience I never want to relive." Cherry nodded in agreement. "I cant wait till this is over so we can get to the actual, exciting fighting and OCs."

Cherrycloud cocked her head. "What?"

"Hm?" Blaze said, looking at her.

"Uhh, nevermind. Oh look! Finally back at the hotel." She gave a sigh of relief, and trotted inside. Ready for a good nights sleep.

Cherrycloud pranced through the lollipop trees, treading on the ice cream ground, occasionally bending down to graze at the Twizzler grass. her feathers fluttered gently in the breeze.

"Cherrycloud"

Cherry pricked her ears, trying to hear the voice that just spoke.

"Cherrycloud!"

Cherry turned her head, to see a giant gummy bear waddling toward her. She squealed in delight. "'Sir Gums a lot!" She shouted, running toward the edible bear.

"Cherrycloud!"

Cherry giggled and, once close enough, leaped onto the gummy bear. She began to lightly suck on his hand, when a voice shattered the candy wonderland.

"CHERRYCLOUD!"

Cherry jumped out of bed and tackled the dark grey unicorn standing next to it.

"Arrggh!" Blaze shouted, squirming under the light green pegasus on top of him. "Cherrycloud! Get OFF!" He violently shoved her off him.

"Hey!" Cherry shouted, "You don't have to shove!"

"Well I might've not had to if we weren't already bucking late!" Blaze growled angrily. Cherry then stood up, realizing that they had to be at the training building that morning, for the final assessments.

"Oh crap!" She shouted, running out the door, faintly hearing Blaze behind her. She charged out the hotel door, into the beaming sunlight. She shielded her eyes with her wings and ran on, now hearing the steps of Crystal and Blaze combined. The black building loomed ahead. She reached the doors and burst inside, seeing the last of the tributes filing through a door. She rushed up and started walking in with the others. Blaze soon found a spot next to her.

"Well," He panted, "You can run really fast when you want to." Cherry rolled her eyes, and continued to trod inside. Once inside, they could see peacekeepers in dark blue armor organizing the ponies into their specified districts. One of them walked over.

"What district are you two from?" He asked in a gruffy voice.

"Eight" Cherry answered.

The peacekeeper nodded and began to nudge them into line between the ponies from district 7 and 9. She could also already see the first pony, Sapphire Swirl, being pushed through a door to where she would be assessed on her survival skills. Cherry sighed and looked next to her, seeing the stallion from district 7. Who she saw made her smile.

"Hey there!" She greeted, recognizing the colt from the camouflage station. He turned and looked at her, smiling back.

"Hi! Looks like you made it!" He said, "Though I never did catch your name." Cherry almost facehooved at her stupidity.

Instead she shrugged and smiled more, "Well, it's Cherrycloud." She put her hoof out to shake.

"Oh, well I'm Terry," He reached his hoof out, but instead of shaking it he gave her a hoof bump.

"So, how do you think you're going to do?"

Terry tapped his chin in thought, "If you mean in the games, I think I'll do pretty well." He raised an eyebrow at Cherry, "Hey, do you think that anypony has ever got pregnant during the games?"

Cherry widened her eyes at the sudden question, and scooted a bit backward. "U-uhhh... I-"

Terry's cheeks suddenly burned a bright red, "Oh no no no! I didn't mean it like that." He glanced down and muttered something that Cherry could just barely make out. "At least somewhat." Then she saw him give a creepy sort of grin, before e wiped it off and returned to his casual self. Then a guard shouted terry's name. "Oh shoot! My turn already? Well, time flies fast when your having fun..." Cherry wasn't sure she liked the way he said 'fun', but he just smiled and trotted through the door, ready to show his skills.

Cherry looked nervously, knowing her turn was next. The seconds passed eerily by, until Terry came out of the room with the tips of his mane burnt, and a tooth cracked. Cherry gulped, and trotted into the room. Once entering, she was able to see the different categories she was able to use to show off to the judges. Speaking of which, Cherry looked up and saw their narrowed eyes observing her every move, like a hawk. She gulped again and headed over to the weaponry section, and grabbed a knife, twirling it around a bit to get used to the feel.

Then, with a small nod, she whipped around and slashed the first dummies throat, and thought for a moment she saw the judges surprised. She grinned and stabbed the dummy one more, then flapped her wings once to get to the next one, and wasted no time in jabbing her knife into its back. She then yanked it out and leaped to the last one, sliding her knife through its side. Then giving a bone crunching punch to its skull. She stopped and looked back up at the judges, seeing them scribbling down notes onto their clipboards. Then, the one in the middle, moved up to a microphone and said, "Dissmissed."

Cherry sighed and trotted out of the room, but as she was at the doorway she glanced backward and saw the burnt rope and paint in the corner. She gave a light chuckle and exited the room, passing Blaze who had to go in now. She then took her proper spot in line and waited for the rest of the ponies to go.

As the last pony came out of the room, a green pegasus stallion with a red mane and tail, the guards began to bring all of the tributes back into the large room, where a screen had been set up. They were pushed back into the same line they were in before, as the screen flickered to life. the first picture was of Sapphire Swirl, and her score, 9. Cherry nodded in acceptance as the next picture popped up. A jet black unicorn names Kabuto. His score was 8.

This process continued, until it was Cherry's turn. Once the screen of Terry's score of a surprising 11, the picture of Cherry appeared. She internally sighed in relief at the fact she got a 10. Then she flinched at Blazes 6. Soon the light from the screen dispersed and the tributes were, once again, shoved out of the room. They each went to their respective mentors, as they began to lead them to their designers. Cherry just lowered her head as she thought about having to deal with that mare again.

Speaking of which, the mare was now strapping the dress back onto Cherrycloud, making sure it looks like she 'lost all her baby fat' Cherry snorted as she finished adjusting it and shouted "Finito!"

Cherry sighed and trotted out of the room, and gasped once seeing blaze. The front part of his suit was a shimmering bronze color, the trim was a dark bluish purple. He had his normally crazy mane brushed back neatly, and had silver, designed shoes on his front hooves. A black cape with grey edges also flowed off his back.

Blaze seemed to mimic Cherrycloud's expression. They stared in awe at eachother for a moment, before Crystal stepped in.

"Ah yes yes yes! You both look absolutely fabulous! You're bound to get sponsers!" Cherry gave an awkward blush and she saw Blaze bow obnoxiously. "Oken then ponies! Lets get to your interviews!" They nodded and followed as Crystal rushed out the door.

"But don't we have to wait for the other tributes to get here?"

"No, they prerecord the interviews they play it on the big screen later today." Cherry nodded and followed Crystal and Blaze into a small room. The stallion inside smiled.

"Good evening tributes!" He said cheerily, his golden eyes flickering with unnatural joy. "I s'pose you're here for the interviews?" They both nodded. His smile only brightened. "Great great! Now I'll treat the mare first, if you wouldn't mind." Blaze gave the stallion a confused and offended look for a second, before turning and strolling out of the room. "Alrighty then!" He turned Cherry's head toward a camera. "Just remember to smile and look pretty!" He grinned, as the recording started.

"He-lloooo everypony!" He said gleefully, "Its time for our next interview with miss..."

"Cherrycloud"

"Aha! Miss Cherrycloud. Now, what do you think of the batch of tributes this year?"

"Well, I think I'll stand a chance. I used to play in the wild all the time as a filly." Cherry added in a small chuckle for show. the stallion followed.

"Well do you know if you'll be having any alliances?"

"Yes actually, I've already started planning ahead for the ponies I'll try and team with."

"So you heard it from her herself! You better watch out ponies! This one's a keeper!" A beep sounded and the stallion relaxed his smile. He patted her on the back and she trotted out, letting Blaze in. A minute later she was face-hoofing at Blaze's ignorance.

She was back in the usual line! Yay! Peacekeepers were slowly making their way down the line, injecting trackers into each tributes hoof. When they made their way to her, she put on a brave face, even though it bucking hurt. A lot. Once done with that, they pushed them all into positions in front of large glass tubes. They then left for the mentors to bid them goodbye. Crystal approached Cherry first.

"Hey." Cherry greeted awkwardly.

"Listen Cherry." Crystal stated seriously, "The games are about to start. I'm gonna give you a crash course on them. First, depending on the arena, be careful about what you use your energy on. If its more of a flat area with less places to hide, don't go full force on the first run. If its a jungle or somewhere with lots of hiding spots, go all in. Also don't fly too high, 'cause you never know when you'll run out of energy. And last," She paused before saying the last part, "Your friends can become your enemies in the blink of an eye in these games. Be careful who you trust. Okay?" Cherry nodded, taking it all in. Crystal nodded back and trotted over to blaze. Soon all the mentors retuned to the sidelines and a deep, mechanical voice began to count down and the giant spheres began to move.

Cherry gulped as the platform slowly lifted, and the countdown got lower and lower. Then, fresh moonlight hit her face, as the pillar lifted out of the ground.

The games had begun.

Author's Note

There'a you go guys! Sorry if this seems a little rushed, I want to get to the fighting as much as you do! Next chapter starts it anyways! I hope your as excited as I am! More OCs to come! On the topic of OCs...

Warning!

Lost OC!
Night Fang
I cant find any of the information for this guy, so if this is yours please PM me the information.