Jynx Susurrus POV

It was the best and worst day of my life. Years of backbreaking training and flawless excellence had led me to this moment, and I wished I was anywhere else. I had to be ready, right? The Academy picked me. They told me I was a great fighter and I'd surely win. That was what I wanted more than anything- to be the best. But as I waited through the speech, I wished I had failed.

You're not the best. You're an idiot, I thought. Why else would I constantly risk injury and maiming for a chance to injure and maim people? I worked tirelessly for years for a chance to get picked to die. They told me I did a good job. I couldn't know they meant it. I knew I didn't fit in, and they had to know it, too. What if they lied all this time, and they only picked me to get rid of me?

I craned my neck to try to see Victory in the girls' section. I barely glimpsed her pale whitish hair at the end of a row. She was already in position to get to the stage as fast as possible, and I could see her muscles tensed to spring. She didn't have any of my insecurity. She knew how good she was. She was born for this, and she knew her purpose.

Philomena took the stage. She mixed things up sometimes, but this time she called the girl first. She Reaped Opal Cutter, a girl I didn't know. Of course Victory volunteered right away. She raised her hand and jumped forward as she did, like she was bursting with enthusiasm. The crowd was quieter than usual as she walked onstage. She took a confident stance and pretended she wasn't looking for me in the crowd.

"And now for the gentlemen!" Philomena said. "Nacre Carat!" My heart lurched and I did what I had to do.

"I volunteer as Tribute!" I called. The boys around me cheered and punched my arm playfully.

"Go get 'em!" Ganache, a boy from the Academy, said. Get ready to die, I thought.

Victory pretended to be surprised and pleased when I took my place next to her. She smiled the biggest smile I'd ever seen, and Philomena loved it. Of course she didn't know that Victory didn't smile like that at all. She didn't have the toothy, wide smile of an enthusiastic model. When she smiled, usually after some witty and cutting remark, her lips thinned into a wicked and tight curl. This smile was as fake as Philomena's purple eyes.

Inivisible waves of resentment and disdain emanated from Victory as we held hands. I never hated her, really. It was just exhausting always competing with her. It was awkward enough she lived next door. Now we were going to die together, too. But then, Victory probably wouldn't. It was right there in her name. She was so good she got picked a year early. Word has it that I'm the favorite to win, but I know differently. I always did the best I could, but that wasn't enough in the Games. I had to do the best, and I suspected that spot was taken.

After my family had left, I took out my token and looked inside. It was a makeup compact from my mother. There was no powder inside, but the mirror remained. It was a strange choice, but I took it because it reflected me metaphorically as well as literally. On the outside, it was golden and perfect. People were always complimenting her on it when they saw it. But on the inside, it wasn't anything until someone looked at it. Then it changed to reflect them. That was all I was- a reflection.

Victory Delissa Amarinthine POV

I already have the goods. Now I need the crowd. Not that winning over this bunch of half-wits was going to be difficult. This was District One, land of the ditzes. Outside of the Capitol, we were the spaciest bunch in Panem. Then, once I got to the heartland of brainlessness- the Capitol- it would only get easier. With my skills and their supplies, I'd win this Game easy.

I threw myself into my performance when I volunteered. I just love volunteering! I egged myself on in my head. Oh boy, I get to kill people! Oh whoopee!

It wasn't that I didn't enjoy volunteering. I was genuinely excited and ready to start fighting. I just wasn't always as expressive as the crowd wanted. Better to be a ham than to be invisible.

After I took the stage, the only bad part of Reaping Day awaited. That would be Jynx. Stubborn, boring Jynx, who never did anything different. Jynx, who got the world handed to him on a platter. I had to claw my way up with constant vigilence and exhausting effort. He was just good at whatever you gave him. He was maddeningly casual and unenthusiastic. Nobody was forcing him to do this, so why didn't he like it? The worst thing that could happen in the Games wasn't that I would die. It was that he would kill me. And yet, as much as I hated him, I knew he wouldn't. District honor, you know. As traditional as he is.

I played the crowd every bit I could as I waited for Jynx. Stupid wet blanket, I thought as I swished my skirt and waved. Hope you die in the Bloodbath, I thought as I smiled and tittered. Philomena perked up and winked at me when she saw my enthusiasm. Bimbo, I thought as I pretended to blush and looked away.

The sound of a thousand braying donkeys rent the air. Never mind, it was just Jynx volunteering. The stage darkened as he loomed next to me. The crowd saw me enthusastically take his hand, but they didn't see how I held it pinched as lightly as possible between two fingers. Philomena announced us and I dropped his hand, since I was just so excited to get started and definitely didn't hate his guts.

The whole family trooped in to see me. I almost got lost in the mix, just like I did back home. There was Calix, the rich shopkeeper. Hale and Blaze, with their perfect wives and beautiful children. Kay, who was starting a business, and Mink, who had as many female friends as I didn't. Last of all there was me. I hadn't done anything yet, but this was my chance. Win or lose, at least I'd leave a mark. Naturally, though, I was going to win.

I barely got a word in before it was time for everyone to go. Then it was just me and my token. I'd chosen it very carefully, by which I meant I'd grabbed it off the kitchen table when I realized I'd forgotten a token halfway out the door. It was only the very coolest eraser ever. It was star-shaped and just generally awesome. Everyone was going to be jealous of my amazing token, just like they were going to be jealous of me.

I have both from One and Two, so I decided to get started.

Oh dear. Nacre's parents didn't think very hard before they named him.

I finally figured out that "maxmericashipper" is Maxon and America from The Selection. Can't get nothing past me.