Author's note: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own the idea of the Hunger Games or anything related to this story. This is a fanfic, nothing else. I mean no harm.
What you need to know: all the tvd-characters will make an appearance in this fanfic. Caroline is my leading lady. That's all you have to know for now. Most of the characters are very much like they are on the show BUT most of them are humans in this Universe.
Ships: I'll let you know at the beginning of each chapter. In this chapter it's just Malena.
Comments: they're always welcome and make me continue writing. Bashing will not be tolerated. I'm only human and far from being perfect.
Last Goodbye
Chapter one: I say goodbye to all my friends -
A hundred years ago a war erupted between vampires and humans. The vampires, provided with incredible strength, speed and wit, overpowered the humans within months. As punishment for the uprising against them, the vampires decided to put the humans in twelve different districts, where they would have to work for the vampires and give a monthly donation of blood to them. The vampires, who now lived in a large city in the center of the twelve districts, however got bored of their mediocre lives. As they did not have to hunt humans or steal blood, they desperately longed for a different kind of entertainment...
"You look pretty today," Bill Forbes complimented his only daughter who stood in her room wearing a new pink summer dress. Caroline Forbes had made it herself, using a fabric produced in her District. District 8 might be one of the poorer districts because it had to rely on others for food, but it definitely was the most fashionable one. The former Miss District 8 still had a good sense for fashion even though recent events had changed her life drastically. Ever since her father had lost a leg in an accident down at the factory, Caroline had to quit school and work double shifts. It hadn't been easy for the seventeen year old girl to trade her pretty clothes for one of those ugly grey jumpsuits they wore in the factory. She missed gossiping with her best friend Elena Gilbert about the new fashion trends the vampires wore in the Capitol.
"I know," Caroline tried to smile for her father, "the reaping is today".
"I hope they won't pick you or any of your friends, honey," Bill said tearily.
"My name is in there only twice. What are the odds that my name or Elena's or Matt's is picked?" now Caroline was the one trying to cheer up her father. She kissed her father on the cheek, put on a pink lip-gloss and put her blonde hair up with a hair clip.
"Do you want to come with me?" Caroline asked her father. Bill Forbes nodded.
On the town square, they were surrounded by peacekeepers who had already set up everything for the televised reaping. Humans despised them and called them "blood-slaves", because though human, they worked for the vampires (or as they put it "tried to reinstall the peace between vampires and humans").
"Hi Liz" Bill reluctantly greeted his ex-wife, "are you here to ship our daughter into slavery?"
"You know I don't approve of this game. You know as well as I do, that I just want us to live in peace," Liz retorted.
"I'd rather live in freedom," Bill replied and looked away.
"Hi mum," Caroline greeted her mother. She only saw her mother on rare occasions, but it still hurt her to see her in that white peacekeeper uniform.
"I'm not going to hug you in public, 'cause I know you don't like to be seen with me, but I wish you all the best and hope your name isn't drawn," Liz let her daughter know.
"Thanks mum," Caroline thanked her mum and rolled her father's wheelchair to her father's former working colleagues.
"I'll get you after the ceremony," Caroline promised and hugged her father. Bill looked up to his daughter as if to tell her I hope so, and watched her join her best friend Elena Gilbert.
"Hi Lena! Have you said your goodbyes to your epic love already?" Caroline teased her friend "I just have a feeling that Andie will pull out your sappy name out of this aquarium thing this year."
"Oh you wish. So you can get your claws on my man while I'm bleeding to death in the arena? No way!" Elena retorted cattishly. Though this was just their usual banter, they both knew how Caroline envied Elena for her boyfriend. Matt Donovan was District 8's personal prince charming: he was good looking with his boyish blond hair and blue eyes, well mannered, athletic and quite handy with a knife. If his name should ever be picked, District 8 would actually have a chance of winning.
"Oh Lena! Let's quit the banter and enjoy our last minutes together" Caroline hugged her best friend tightly.
"Enough with the drama, Caroline. There are hundreds of others. We won't get picked. And neither will Matt," Elena said hopefully and looked for Matt. Upon being seen by his girlfriend, the latter mouthed an I love you to her, which made Caroline roll her eyes.
Andie Star walked up the stage the peacekeepers had set up on the town square. She was wearing a neon green dress with a pink tweed jacket on top.
"Welcome, welcome ladies and gentlemen. The ceremony of the 47th Hunger Games will commence in a few moments with our delightful president's annual speech," Andie Star greeted the audience with her annoying attempt to pull off an English accent.
"Bla, bla. Delightful my ass. It's just one of his fetishes to play with his food before devouring it," Caroline grunted.
"shhh-" Elena tried to calm her friend down, "don't cause a scene or they hook you up to another bloodbag."
As president Klaus Mikaelsons plummy voice filled the now exaggeratedly quiet town square, the two girls grabbed each other's hand and looked at the large screen behind Andie Star.
"A hundred years ago, the strongest and wittiest of all species restored order and peace in a once chaotic and lost country. It was our selflessness and love for the weak that made us decide not to punish you too severely and instead led us to create twelve districts where you could live in peace and safety. Still not acceptant of our gift, humans continued to rebel against our all-powerful authority. In this very moment, I, Klaus Mikaelson, came up with the spectacular idea of the hunger games. Each year, every district has to send out a woman and a man, aged sixteen to twenty-four, to battle to death until only one of them survives. Eternal glory and riches shall await the victor, for he or she may decide to join us forev-a"
"Seriously? Who wants to live with those vile creatures let alone become one of them?" Caroline couldn't refrain herself and hugged her friend, who was now trembling in anticipation. She knew perfectly well that people from district 1 to 3 volunteered each year to participate because they would do anything to become a vampire.
"Ladies first, as usual," Andie Star smiled and put her perfectly manicured fingers into the bowl containing every man and woman's name between the ages of sixteen to twenty-four.
"Promise me not to volunteer for me when my name gets picked!" Elena begged her friend.
Caroline nodded and added: "You too!" upon which Elena looked into her friend's blue eyes and nodded as well.
"And this year the following woman will get the chance to become a vampire... Caroline Forbes! Congratulations darling!" Andie cheered in her high pitched voice.
The next two minutes everything happened in slow motion for Caroline Forbes. Everything was blurry and it felt like the earth beneath her was shaking. She felt her best friend hugging her tightly. She saw her tremble and cry almost hysterically as the peacekeepers pushed Caroline towards the stage. On the stage she saw her father and even her mother crying. She bit her lower lip. It took all her strength not to burst out crying herself.
"Wow, please applaud for Caroline Forbes. District 8 is sending a beauty queen to the hunger games. Klaus will be pleased!" Andie said ecstatically, "And now let's find out who's our lucky male!"
Caroline was in a daze, she thought about her father who now couldn't rely on her money and her help, she thought about her best friend who she would never see again.
"Matt Donovan!" Andie cried out suddenly. Caroline didn't understand why she would say his name. What was going on? When the peacekeepers brought Matt to the stage, Caroline gasped in shock. She tried to see her friend but the peacekeepers were already pushing them into the town hall right behind them.
Inside, Caroline was still processing the events that had just taken place. She walked restlessly up and down and planned what she was going to tell her father. They were granted 3 minutes with their family before parting on the train to the Capitol.
When her mum rolled in her father, Caroline started crying. For the first time in years, the family ignored their conflicts and hugged each other. The peacekeepers came in before Caroline could tell them what she had planned to say, she just looked at her mother and said: "Take care of him". Minutes later, a very pale and still shaken Elena entered the room and hugged her best friend goodbye. She couldn't utter a word. Caroline knew why: the odds were definitely not in her favor today. Only one or none of her best friends would come back to her.