District 1 Reapings

"Good morning, people of District 1!" said the woman with a shade of orchid skin so bright that she looked like the flower itself. "My name is Nica! Your last District Escort retired last year, and now you lucky kiddies get silly ole me!" Nica's darker violet hair bounced and bobbled when she spoke so enthusiastically.

When the crowd's reaction wasn't nearly as jubilant as her attitude, Nica sighed and pulled a slip of folded paper from the girls' bowl. She regained her cheer, and smiled.

"Cissa Mandella! Cissa! Cissa, where are you? Come on up!" A tall, slim girl with a wavy, brown bob walked to the center of the crowd where Nica stood, her eyes shining. Cissa's brown eyes were also shining. Shining with tears, threatening to spill. Nica patted Cissa on the back when she reached the middle, but Cissa pulled away, irked.

"Are there any volunteers for Miss Mandella?" Nica paused, waiting for the volunteer that would come take her place. After a minute of waiting, in which Cissa had started silently crying, nobody came. "That's rather unusual! You are District 1! Really? No volunteers? Okay. It's okay Cissa darling. You'll do great!" Cissa stepped away from Nica, glared, and let out a big sob.

She didn't want to compete in the games! Why did she have to? It was so unfair! There weren't as many slips of paper this year, and hardly any tessarae! It wasn't Cissa's fault or choice! She shouldn't have to go through the torture of the Games.

"Okay then! Let's have our little boy come up now!" Nica bubbled. She was spilling her overly vibrant personality all over the center square. She rummaged her hand around in the second bowl, seeming to be searching for a certain piece of paper. When she finally pulled one out, she read the name, and started giggling. "Axel! Axel Krimson!"

The boy who reluctantly walked up indeed had crimson hair. He looked from side to side at a couple of blond boys standing near him. He whispered something to them, and they both nodded. Axel walked to the center square, and took his place next to the still-sobbing Cissa. His face was calm enough, but he obviously didn't want to be one of two standing in the town center with Nica.

"Any volunteers for this strapping young man, Axel Krimson? No? Hmm." Nica seemed troubled that there were no volunteers for either child. "Well, then. May the odds be ever in your favor!"

After the Reapings- Cissa

In a smallish room in the Justice Building of 1, Cissa slouched against the wall. She was still sobbing. She wanted anything but the Games. She didn't want anyone to see her before she left. It didn't matter. But she knew her father would have to come.

After her mother died when she was ten, Cissa's father did everything he could to help Cissa out. He bought her everything. He completely spoiled her. It hadn't really helped her much, though. She hadn't wanted to be reminded constantly of her mom.

Mr. Mandella tried to keep up with Cissa's schoolwork and friends all the time as her mother had. This didn't really have the effect he had wanted. Cissa became very aggravated by him. He was always there. He practically followed her around! And she tried to ignore her annoyance, but it was just so hard with him always butting in.

When he finally did come in, his face was solemn.

"Hello Cissa." After that, there was hardly any conversation between them, because he couldn't talk through his tears, and she didn't make any attempt of conversation.

After a little while longer, to Cissa's surprise, Henna Cress walked in.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have ignored you… in school. I really shouldn't have. We've been best friends for… forever. Will you forgive me?" Cissa's best friend came to see her. She was the popular girl who had tons of friends. She was the one who ditched Cissa for her more popular friends.

But they had been best friends forever. Or Henna had always been Cissa's best friend, although if you put it the other way around, it might've been questionable.

"Sure," Cissa shrugged and looked away. She figured this girl just didn't want to be remembered by someone as a not-so-loyal friend. It didn't really matter to either of them, but Henna had just thought she should go.

"Bye Cissa." And with that, Henna was as present as she ever was to Cissa. Gone.

At the end of the time, Mr. Mandella had to leave, still crying his eyes dry of tears. Cissa hadn't really wanted anyone to come, but she also hadn't wanted to be chosen for the Games. Simply put, she doesn't always get what she wants.

After the Reapings- Axel

"Axel," he heard her stern voice say. "Axel, you need to win. But you also need to know how to win. Listen up to your mentors, make a couple friends in training. Be nice in your interviews. Whatever it takes. Remember everything I taught you…" Axel's aunt ranted on and on about how he would be able to win the Games.

He stopped listening, and just nodded every few seconds, staring into her fierce green eyes all the time. She didn't come out of her ranting state until three of Axel's best friends walked into the little room.

Mac, Scar, and Dom all stood awkwardly in the doorway until she noticed them and let them speak.

"Goodbye Axel. If you listened to what I've been telling you your whole life, I will see you in a little while." And with that, Axel's bossy aunt turned ad briskly walked from the room.

"Hey guys," Axel said softly. "I'm gonna have lots of fun in the arena aren't I?" He was joking, of course, but he did this mostly to hold himself together. He hadn't really wanted to be in the Games at any time in his life, but he had thought before it would be neat to win.

"Guess we'll see ya on the screen then," Dom said. "Good luck buddy." Axel smiled at the leader of his small gang. Dom had always been the decision maker of most things they all did together. He was a year older, so he thought he had the right, but Axel, Scar, and Mac didn't mind.

"Bye Axel! We'll miss you Mr. Glue," Mac said, using one of their nicknames for Axel. He was the one who held the group together. With his constant joking around and such.

After a couple more goodbyes, Axel's buddies left. He walked to the window and looked out over 1. He saw his uncle trying to make his way to the doors on the Justice Building. Most likely to say goodbye or something. Just then, a Peacekeeper knocked and told Axel it was time to leave. He could still see his uncle down there, still pushing through the crowd.

Axel knocked loudly on the glass. It was his last hope of saying goodbye to his uncle. His protector.

He didn't notice a thing. And Axel was being pulled out of the room. He wouldn't get to see his uncle again.