The Hunger Games Galaxies: District 7
The students of Gekkoukan stood in their auditorium on the day of the Reaping, separated by class and sex, as it was each year. However, this year, they weren't simply watching the large screens as the Reaping took place; they were actually a part of it. Japan had won the dubious "honor" of having the tributes selected from its schools, and, as this was District 7, that meant one of the large cities would be selected, and from that one high, middle, and elementary school would be selected. The initial Reaping earlier in the month had decided it: Gekkoukan, pride of the Kirijo Group, would be the high school and location chosen for the Reaping.
The Gods had decreed that, in order to ensure a varied pool of tributes each year, this world would be represented by two districts. District 7 would only reap children from large cities, while District 12 would have tributes taken from a smaller town. They were the only world in the entirety of the Gods' Galaxies that had, basically, a double reaping each year.
"Students, if I may have your attention…" began their overweight principal as he dabbed his head with an already-sodden handkerchief. "The time for our Reaping has arrived… and I now turn this podium over to a representative of the Gods…"
Minato glanced down the row of students, his headphones hanging around his neck. He didn't want to be Reaped, of course, but, as he scanned around the room, he saw his fellow members of SEES and didn't want any of them reaped either. Junpei was only a few people down the line from him, right next to Kenji and Ryoji, while across the way he could see Fuuka, Yukari, and Hamuko all standing together, their hands clasped with each other and a couple girls from the tennis and archery clubs that Minato didn't know.
A huge, wizened old monk by the name of Mutatsu walked to the stage, stumbling. He held the ceremonial scrolls and fumbled with them as he struggled to read the yearly messages from the Gods, explaining the Hunger Games and why they were necessary, as a reminder to all humans of the Gods' power and their benevolence for allowing them to live as they did. It was also a chance for a world to gain prosperity for a year.
"Psst… Hamuko…" whispered Yukari, after making sure none of the Peacekeepers were close enough to them. "Can you see Mitsuru or Akihiko…?"
The girl cut her eyes back and to the right, where the boys' group was. She saw Akihiko standing there, right next to Shinjiro. He was already staring at her, and she could plainly see the worry on his face, even from this distance. She felt her face starting to flush, and immediately turned to look back towards the 3rd Year girls. Mitsuru had her gaze firmly fixed on the stuttering monk at the podium. Because of her position, she probably had to look 100% professional at all times.
"Akihiko and Shinjiro are back there, and they both seem pretty nervous…" she whispered back. "Mitsuru, of course, looks calm."
"I don't know how she can be so nonchalant about all this," muttered Yukari, with more than a hint of jealousy and venom.
"Well… she… she will be under a lot of pressure, as President… and the daughter of Kirijo Group, which owns the school…" Fuuka said, bracingly.
"That is correct," said Aigis, not bothering to keep her voice down. "She must be very nervous too."
"Aigis, shh," hissed Yukari. "Do you want the Peacekeepers to find out about you?"
None of the helmeted figures seemed to notice or care about the students, even as whispers went around the auditorium as Mutatsu struggled through a complicated hymn of respect for the Gods. Hamuko couldn't help but glance to the teacher's section and saw Mr. Ekoda was fuming; he wanted to chastise them for being loud, but couldn't do so until the ceremony was over. She smirked at this; the old fool.
"I just really, really hope Ken-kun doesn't get selected," Fuuka added, quietly. "Or… anyone from the elementary level, really."
"I agree with that," said Yukari. "That… that would be just too cruel."
"I have a feeling someone would volunteer for him if that happened," said Hamuko. She knew Akihiko and especially Shinjiro would probably jump at the chance, but she worried that Minato would as well…
"And that concludes our… opening ceremonies," slurred Mutatsu. "And… now! Now we shall select our tributes… but first… a word from your student council president…"
Every head turned and the cameras pointed to Mitsuru. Head high and shoulders back, she marched to the stage, flanked by Peacekeepers. She nodded respectfully at Mutatsu and the other Representatives of the Gods before she took her spot at the podium.
"To my fellow students and those from the other two schools in our city… we must humbly accept our fates in this life. As you are all aware, District 7's last victor was eight years ago. While you may not feel that it is fair, and regardless of your own desires, stand now, proud and tall, as we are the ones deemed worthy to represent District 7.
To the two tributes who are picked, when you are in the arena, know that you will always have the emotional support of those of us back in District 7. When you train, learn a little bit of everything, but especially dedicate yourself to one style. In this way, you will be sure to have the highest odds of survival. If you can, rely on one another, for as long as possible. You will have only one friend in this arena. And even then, that's only a temporary truce.
And… should a Gekkoukan student be chosen, please know now that it has been my honor to be your president, and I wish you the very best. May the odds be ever in your favor."
There was a small round of applause, and both Minato and Hamuko noticed that the tension had fallen ever-so-slightly in the room. Mutatsu waited for Mitsuru to rejoin her spot in her class, and once he'd received a nod from her, he stumbled back up to the podium. He made another startling announcement.
"Before we begin the Reaping…" he slurred. "We've got a special 'nnouncement! This year, as decreed by our omnipotent Gods… there will be no forms of sponsorship inside the arena!"
A ripple of muttering blasted through the audience again. No sponsors? So that meant they were entirely alone in the arena… nobody was going to help them. But that also meant they didn't have to try to impress any of the sponsors either, which took some pressure off the ones who were chosen. Weighing the options, it was more relief that spread through the classes than it was fear or anger. Mutatsu gave it about a minute to sink in, as he swayed in his haze, and then he abruptly turned to the huge, circular container that held the girls' names. He took one directly off the top and walked back to the podium. He opened it and read the name. Even from that distance, they could see his face visibly paling.
"The… the female tribute is…" he said, swallowing hard. "Is… Hamuko Arisato."
The Gekkoukan girls screamed in horror at this. Heads turned to Hamuko, who already was moving towards the stage. Strangled yells from the boys' side showed Akihiko, Junpei, and Shinjiro all fighting to get to her, but restrained by those around them. She swept her eyes away from Akihiko and Shinjiro and met Minato's eyes. His mouth hung agape, but he didn't say anything. She gave him a tiny smile and a quick nod before she headed for the stage.
The walk felt like it took forever. Her body had just reacted on its own when it was called; she wasn't even certain how she made it this far. But with each step, her terror and dread grew, and her chest got tight. But she didn't want to let it show. Sponsors or not, she didn't want to betray fear to any of the other Districts when their Reaping was broadcast. She would not make herself a target.
Passing the elementary kids was tough. Ken, tears rolling down his face, called to her. She really couldn't look at that. Sure, seeing the distraught Aki and Shinji was brutal, but this was a special kind of pain. A kid who had already lost so much… and now he was losing one of the most important females in his life all over again.
No… she chastised herself, silently. That's not how I'm thinking about this. He's not losing me. This is not a death sentence. Nobody said that I'm going to lose. If anything, I have an advantage over most tributes from here. I'm sure they'll seal our Personas, but I've fought with Shadows hundreds of times. It's no different. The other tributes will just be Shadows.
Mutatsu couldn't even meet her eyes when she ascended the stage. She thought of the nights when she and Minato would sneak out of the dorms past curfew, once going to the night club for the hell of it. She remembered their first encounter with Mutatsu, how they'd had to bribe the bartender to get him his alcohol, and how he'd sat in a drunken haze with them, giving them unnecessary and varying amounts of life experience lessons. Those days were over.
For now, I mean… thought Hamuko. They're over for a few minutes. Until I get back from the arena. Then I can give him some life lessons, and maybe clean him up a bit…
"The… then it's time for us to… pick our guy… tribute…" Mutatsu said, his voice cracking as he tried to regain his composure. He wandered to the jar and, this time, he sifted and shuffled through the paper. He finally picked one up and wandered back to the podium. "And… District 7's male tribute… Akihiko Sanada."
He was on the stage before she even realized it, his arms around her as she felt his body shaking. She buried her head into his shoulder, relief spreading through her. At least she wouldn't be alone, so even if things didn't go right, she'd survive longer with Aki's help than without it. But… one of them had to die. They both couldn't return…
"I know what you're thinking. Stop it," whispered Akihiko, shaking her a little. "We're going to find a way to win together. It hasn't been done yet, but this time we're going to do it. Don't even think about dying; it's not going to happen to either of us. I won't let it."
"I know," she replied, quietly. "It's… crazy to say, perhaps, but I'm really glad you're here with me, right now."
"I would have volunteered," he said. "No matter who it was. Shinji and I were ready to fight over it. But then they called me and he was so stunned he didn't have time. We're going to get through this, Hamuko. I promise."
"Thank you," she whispered, feeling a sob come up to her throat. She didn't want to cry, but, as his arms tightened around her, she couldn't help it. The tears began to flow, as the auditorium around began to applaud for them, and Mutatsu calmly grabbed their shoulders to introduce them to the world.
Her vision momentarily clouded by tears, Hamuko blinked and wiped her face, and saw the entire area was on its feet, applauding. Neither Akihiko nor she had any family members to mourn their choosing, but SEES, through their tears, cheered louder than anyone. Mutatsu took one of each of their arms and raised them in the sky, as though they'd just won a boxing match. He then brought their hands together, and the two of them squeezed their hands as they looked directly into the camera, as though daring the other Districts to try and split them apart.
Author's Notes:
Short explanation time on how this whole ordeal is going to work!
The games themselves are still in progress, so for now I'm only doing the intro stuff. All events that take place in the Districts will be in their appropriately-titled stories in the proper crossover section. Once that's all taken care of and it collapses into one story, I'll put the title at the end of each District Introduction Section (or just click on my author name to find it yourself).
The entire story is being decided solely on a complicated series of dice rolls, to prevent bias on my part and to make it so even I have no idea how this is going to end or who is going to win.
Let me be clear: this is not going to be an "everyone bands together and fights the evil powers and they all survive" story. As of writing this paragraph, twelve tributes are dead. So if you see your favorite character selected… well, don't get mad if they don't make it through.
That's all for now. May the odds be ever in your (favorite characters') favor.
ALSO: Starting from here-on, I've put the schedule of updates on my profile, so you can know when the next installments of my stories are coming out. It's not going to be perfect due to my job, so I might miss a few deadlines here and there, but, overall, it's a good indicator of when you can expect things to be out.