Author's Note: This just happened. Whut. I'm a roleplayer and there's this site I'm on called TwiSagaOnline. I love these fuckers and they love Hunger Games. This is dedicated to them and their characters. P.S. Thanks to my Marius for being my beta through this thing. ^_^

"I volunteer." Corin's voice carried strongly over the crowd of people gathered around a large stage set in District 1. This was it. This was her moment. She had been training her entire life for this, becoming faster and stronger, cunning and ruthless. She could feel her mother's eyes on her; Sulpicia's disappointment was obvious, and she had tried with everything she had to persuade her daughter to step back and let someone else volunteer. But Corin had pushed her away. She knew her mother thought she wasn't good enough, despite her powers. But Corin was ready to bring pride to her district, ready to win, and she wasn't going to let anyone hold her back. Not even her family.

Slowly, Corin took a breath and moved to take her place on the platform, head held high amidst the roaring applause that surrounded her. They love me already, she thought smugly, and made a point to let her darkened, curled bounce as she walked through the parting crowd.

She took her spot next to the mayor, who likewise stood confidently while he moved on to the boys. It wasn't long before one stepped forward, Santiago Insardia, and the crowd applauded wildly. It wasn't supposed to be him; at training it was obvious that the next tribute should have been his brother, Felix. But Felix had backed out persistently, opting to stay home instead with his family.

Santiago took his spot beside her, looking as confident as ever, with a smile on his face. The crowd's applause grew as both tributes raised their arms triumphantly. We'll win this... I'll win this. The announcer said some parting words before Corin and Santiago were directed behind them and into the large town center, its great white pillars at the doors magnificent as ever.

The moment they were inside and free from the public's eyes, they were placed in a room together to wait for their families to see them before they were carted of somewhere in the city exclusive to those participating in the games. Corin moved quickly, turning and shoving Santiago against a wall and holding him there with a forearm pressing hard against his throat.

She snarled, "Don't you dare even think about using your little tricks on me. I'm not wired that way."

Santiago's brow raised. Sure, he knew he was percieved as a ladies man but he didn't think about Corin that way. Not the way she would expect, anyways.

"I should say the same to you," he breathed out calmly.

Santiago regained his composure and knocked Corin's arm to the side. straightening up again and taking a deep breath in. He was expecting some hatred from her the minute his name was called, but not so soon.

"Don't let this start off shitty, Corin. We may need each other sooner than you think." He nodded before turning and made his way across the room to the table they were to speak with their families at.

Corin did the opposite; she paced back and forth for a while, thinking of everything she wished to tell those who came to see her. And for them to tell those who did not. Reluctantly, once her feet began to ache she followed Santiago's lead and sat down at a table, waiting.

To her surprise, her mother was the first to come in the room, and she looked as though she was fighting with herself to keep a straight face. Corin's first thought was to speaking something comforting, reassuring, use her gift... But she decided against it; Suplicia would know what she was up to and would not approve. Instead, she stood and crossed the room in a few strides. Corin wrapped her arms around her, holding her to her person tightly. "It's going to be fine. Really." She reassured her, confidently.

Sulpicia pulled away to look her daughter in the face, at her brown eyes that were the opposite of her own azure shade. "I don't want to lose you."

"I'm going to win this. You know I can; I've been training all my life."

Sulpicia struggled with finding words before deciding it would be best to just agree. "Just try and keep your head, okay? You don't need to lose a single strand of hair." As an afterthought, she added, "But maybe you can make some of the others lose theirs... Their head." The door to the room started to open, and Sulpicia quickly whispered "I love you." She kissed Corin on her forehead, and held her close again. They both turned to see who had entered, expecting peacekeepers to escort Sulpicia out, but instead found Aro standing in the doorway.

He crossed the room and was embracing them both in a hug. He pulled back just enough to look at his daughter. "Cor, I believe in you; we believe in you. Just remember everything you learned and we taught you and I know you'll make us proud." He smiled, and she rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help but smile too.

"I will. I'll do whatever it takes."

Santiago waited for fourty-five minutes after Corin's parents were taken out of the room and yet to have a visitor. He had expected it, to be honest. Everybody in his family was rooting for Felix to be reaped; he knew his brother would be bitter and not come but he hadn't expected his sister, Heidi, not to come. After all, she was Corin's best friend. And, like, his sister. His parents didn't care about him as much as the others so it wasn't like he expected them to be here either.

Two peacekeepers trot into the room and motions for them to come along. So much for a final goodbye. He waited until Corin had stood before following her past the double-doors, into the part of the building he had never seen before.

"Che Dio ci aiuti..."